Darkness Falls
by Peach Wookiee
Summary: The sequel to Nightmare Resurrection. The gang returns to Duel Academy, hoping for their senior year to be relatively uneventful. But Darkness will fall... Now rated M, to be safe. Co-written with 15animefreak15 and Lobo Argost. Chapter LXV up!
1. The Royal Road Damaged

Chapter I: The Royal Road Damaged

_Hello, everyone, and welcome to the latest in the story series that began with "A Guy's Worst Nightmare!" This latest story begins an alternate of what we know as Seasons 3 and 4. Thanks to the events of our previous tale in this cycle, "Nightmare Resurrection," you all know that Yubel is no longer a threat to the gang and the young men from the four academies will not have the fates that they had in the canon Season 3 or 4. Even Professor Thelonius Viper isn't a threat now. But just because those threats have been successfully neutralized doesn't mean the seasons of danger are over for our gang. So hang on for quite a ride!_

_**Disclaimer: Peach Wookiee and 15animefreak15 do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise or any characters. Annie Hanson is the property of Peach Wookiee, while Rosa Jimenez and Violet Haverbrook belong to 15animefreak15.**_

___Authors' notes and warnings: This story will contain some spoilers for the as-yet-undubbed Season 4 with some clear modifications. There will be some intense and semi-adult situations since we're dealing with four engaged couples and, thanks to a unique situation, there will be cohabitation. The biggest change of all will be that Jaden is not moody! We hope you enjoy our changes. Thank you!_

_**Warning for Chapter One: Intense nightmare images. Considering the stuff the girls dealt with in "Summer Love, Summer Fears" and "Nightmare Resurrection," it's no wonder they'd have nightmares.**_

It was the middle of the night at Duel Academy in the fall semester of 2018. Ordinarily in the Obelisk Blue dormitory, all was peaceful at this time of night, but four of the female students were anything but at peace. Considering the summer that they'd had, it was no wonder that they could not sleep.

In one dorm on the first floor, Alexis Rhodes tossed and turned. Her normally sleek blonde hair was disheveled and her face was sweaty. She was trapped in a horrific nightmare...

—Dream— "Annie, you have to hang on!" I plead with my friend and classmate. We've been kidnapped by Camula, a vampire, and Annie already has a heart condition. She won't survive this captivity, but she's still here. And then we're used as bait...Annie saves us, but then...my love, Jaden has to save everybody from...Oh NO! Yubel, PLEASE LET HIM GO! Please! NO! I watch her kill him and then kill everyone around us one by one... –End dream—

Alexis had had nightmares like this ever since returning to school, and so again, she woke up screaming. Her caramel brown eyes were wide with terror, and her chest was heaving. 'I… I can't stay alone,' she thought, grabbing a favorite blanket as she got out of bed. And so she got up and headed out of her room to the elevator to the third floor.

Alexis wasn't the only one who'd been having nightmares. A few rooms away, the fiery student from Spain, Rosa Jimenez, was locked in a terrifying dream of her own. Her olive skin was flushed and her ruddy brown hair was also disheveled as she writhed...

--Dream— It's so peaceful in this field, with only Tyson and I here on a picnic. Suddenly, a hiss breaks the silence, and a giant snake appears. Fiery fangs threaten to swallow Tyson in their grasp, and I push him away. The fire courses through my veins, but then Tyson defeats the monster and saves me. But now...I'm helpless as I watch him duel my ex-fiancé in a shadow game. I'm repeatedly shocked as he takes damage, but only care about him. "Ty-Ty!" I call out, but he doesn't hear me as the shadows swallow him whole. My vision darkens as the shadows turn on me, Death's cold grip on my shoulder... –End dream— Her eyes snapped wide open, beads of sweat trickling down her face as she screamed in terror.

Meanwhile in another room on the third floor, Annie Hanson writhed in her bed... -dream- "SYRUS!!" I see him dueling and fighting for me. He's fighting against the vampire that imprisoned his brother and nearly killed his best friend. He's fighting for my life and Alexis's now. I don't want him to get hurt, and I know Camula isn't going to fight fair, so I summon my favorite monster and try to turn into my hero, Sailor Moon...but then...I fall...I hear Syrus screaming and I hear a splash as I hit the water of the river. It's Sy, trying to save me. But then a current of water drags us both down. The next thing I see is both of us...at our own funeral! NO! -End dream- Annie woke up, screaming a single word... "NOOOO!" Tears rolled down her cream-white cheeks from her big blue eyes, while her short brown hair was plastered to her head.

Such a scream normally would have woken Annie's roommate, Violet Haverbrook. But she was fighting her own subconscious battle...

-Dream- I'm running through a deserted hallway in my old school. I don't know why I'm there, but my heart's pounding as I hear the footsteps mimicking my own. "Leave me alone!" I scream, to no avail as the scene becomes a dirty alleyway and the shadow chasing me grows closer. I'm forced to stop as two more shadows appear before me, forcing me to turn around and face my pursuer. The shadows clear to reveal Mike, and I shiver as I try backing away. "G-Go away," I stutter fearfully, when my back hits a wall.

Chains wrap around me, holding me in place as Mike becomes a tiger. It lunges, and suddenly Bastion appears in an effort to protect me. But he's dead in an instant, and the tears fall from my eyes. "No...Bastion," I whimper as the beast rounds on me. All I can do is cry and stare at his bloody form on the ground as the tiger devours me whole... -End dream-

She snapped awake, sitting up and clutching her bed sheets. Tears were in her bright green eyes as she screamed her fiancé's name for the fifth night in a row. Her plum-colored hair was standing on end and her face was pale.

Annie, wide awake, got out of bed, headed to her door and looked across the bedroom suite to her best friend, tears still running down her own face. "V-Violet?" she called, terrified.

Violet was shivering, and looked back from her bed to her best friend. "A-Annie," she replied, just as frightened.

"You, too?" the blue-eyed girl asked, heading to her best friend's door as Violet got up from her bed and met her friend. Violet nodded, trying to calm down and slow her racing heart and breathing. Annie hugged her. "We can't go on like this...We have to do something..."

"Y-Yeah...I can't sleep anymore without...the nightmare," Violet answered and hugged back tightly.

"I...I'm going to call Miss Fontaine...I don't feel good enough to go to class in morning..." Annie felt sick to her stomach. "Maybe she can give us sleeping pills for now..."

Violet nodded. "I can't even stay awake in class much anymore..."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Annie went to it. "Alexis? Rosa? What are you guys doing here?" she asked as they came in.

Alexis sighed. "We heard each other screaming for about the fifth night in a row. Since we both have been having nightmares....we wanted to see if you two were," she explained.

"Yeah...we're going to call Miss Fontaine so she can dope us up..." Then Annie turned ten shades of green and charged to the bathroom and threw up her dinner. She was so exhausted, her body was going crazy.

Violet sighed and went into the bathroom to help her best friend. She herself hadn't gotten sick yet, but she was dead tired and her nerves were shot. Alexis groaned and practically collapsed into a chair, Rosa following suit on the nearby couch. All of their bodies were reaching their limit.

Annie panted as soon as she had emptied herself out. "Oh...how can I gain my weight back if this keeps happening? Violet...I'm sorry," she apologized. During the summer, Annie had gone from a healthy 125 pounds to 95 pounds. She had gained some weight after the surgery that had saved her life, but thanks to the past two weeks, was now back to 95 pounds.

Violet stifled a yawn before answering, rubbing Annie's back comfortingly. "Don't apologize, Annie. It's not like you're doing it on purpose," she replied, unable to kneel any longer and forced to sit lest her legs give out from under her.

Annie managed to get a cup of water and wash her mouth out. "Oh...we can't go on anymore..." She scooted weakly back to Violet. "Let's call Miss Fontaine...we aren't going to class like this," she moaned.

Violet nodded, and used the sink to pull herself back onto her feet. She helped Annie onto hers, and the two girls went back out into the room. Alexis and Rosa were half-asleep, but still too scared to actually let it take them. "Think you can call her, Annie?" Violet asked tiredly.

Annie nodded, and dialed Miss Fontaine's extension number. Downstairs, Fonda Fontaine awoke to her phone ringing. "This is Miss Fontaine," the red-headed gray-eyed nurse greeted.

"Miss Fontaine? It's Annie Hanson," the sick girl said weakly.

"Annie, dear, are you all right?" Miss Fontaine asked, hearing the exhaustion and fear in the young woman's voice.

"No... in fact...none of us are. Rosa, Violet, Alexis and I are all up in my room and we're all exhausted. We haven't been able to sleep in days...help..."

"Calm down, honey...I'll be right up! You just hang in there." Miss Fontaine said goodbye to Annie, and grabbed her medical bag, racing up the stairs to Annie and Violet's bedroom suite.

By the time she had reached the room, Violet and Annie were laying on their beds. Alexis and Rosa were still in the same place they had been the whole time. "It's unlocked," Violet called when she heard the knock.

Miss Fontaine came right into the living area and moved to Annie first. "Oh, you poor girls...you've only been back two weeks...Has this been going on that long?" she asked, taking Annie's pulse.

Annie nodded tiredly. "Yeah..."

"Well, none of you are going to class tomorrow. I'm going to give all four of you a sleeping pill and the nightmares won't follow. Sound good?" the nurse asked, knowing that she had no options but to do that. The sedative she had was very strong and it would put them into deep sleep where they wouldn't be fighting their bad dreams.

"Sounds good to me," Alexis murmured in reply, still half-asleep. The Queen of Obelisk Blue had dark rings under her eyes and couldn't summon the strength to move. Rosa, too, had dark smudges under her eyes and had no energy.

Miss Fontaine got all four girls into Annie's and Violet's beds and soon they were fast asleep thanks to the medicine. Annie was clearly fighting illness from her fatigue and Violet and the other two were heading that way. Miss Fontaine had kept a close eye on the girls since their return to school, but somehow, they had made sure she didn't know how exhausted they were. She checked Annie and Violet's bathrooms and discovered their supplies of concealing make-up. 'They've been covering it up,' she thought, tiptoeing back into the bedrooms and covering the four girls with extra blankets. "You four sleep now," she whispered, sitting in a chair and beginning a long vigil.

_So the gang has returned to Duel Academy, but the events of the summer and early fall wrecked havoc on the girls' dreams. Sigmund Freud once said that "Dreams are the 'royal road' to the unconscious mind," and it appears that the girls' "royal roads" have suffered damage. For now, they're knocked out and can rest, but being "doped up" cannot last forever. What will the guys do when they realize just how bad their fiancées have had it for two weeks? Next time, find out in "Discovery." So until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you, everyone! And remember, your reviews get sent on to 15animefreak15! _


	2. Discovery

Chapter II: Discovery

_Hello, again, GX fans! Sorry for the wait on this chapter, but there was a little problem and it was Peach's fault! So, anyway, wow! Seventeen reviews! Your friendly neighborhood co-authors are very pleased and awed that you've stayed with us this long. To The Rainwalker, yes, Peach did get the information about Komuricon, but alas cannot make it. Anyway, we imagine you're ready for chapter two! So here you are!_

_Last time, Alexis, Violet, Annie and Rosa all had trouble sleeping due to the events of the summer that they just managed to live through. Each of them was getting sick as a result, especially Annie, who is still recovering from heart surgery and trying to regain the weight she lost. Miss Fontaine was called and sedated all four girls. So what will happen when Jaden, Bastion, Syrus and Tyson Hassleberry are notified of their fiancées' conditions? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX; we just own our OCs. One of us may own a Nintendo Wii, but we don't own the Nintendo Wii. We wish we did. Then we'd be rich! Rich, I tell you, rich! We also don't own Inuyasha or Fruits Basket. **_

___Authors' note: Bunko-ban is a novel-sized reprint of Japanese manga. _

The four girls slept well into the day and of course, their fiancés became worried. Jaden Yuki, in the Slifer Red dorm along with all of his guy buddies noticed the girls' absence at breakfast. "I say, have any of you seen Violet this morning?" Bastion Misawa asked as he came into the Slifer dining room. "She should be here by now…"

"No, Bastion, and I haven't seen Alexis. Tyson...you haven't seen Rosa either?" Jaden asked.

Tyson Hassleberry shook his head. "No. Sam Hill, what's goin' on? Private Truesdale? You seen any of 'em?" he asked Obelisk Blue student Syrus Truesdale.

Syrus sighed, frowning. "I haven't seen Annie this morning, either. I'm really worried..." He had reason to be worried. He had noticed Annie was tired the past few days and remembered yesterday…

"Where are you going, Annie?" the blue-haired boy asked as he and his fiancée walked out of their second class of the day. Usually he and Annie walked straight to their third class together, but today she headed down the hall away from the classrooms to Dorothy's card shack and snack shop.

"Dorothy's… I think I was up too late last night," she explained, sweat-dropping. "Catching up with all we've missed is hard work."

"You need to be careful, Annie," Sy cautioned as they arrived at their destination. "Dr. Benson said you can't overexert yourself. You don't want to have to go through another surgery…" Just a few weeks before, the brown-haired, blue-eyed girl had undergone heart surgery to stop the sudden irregular heartbeats that had nearly taken her life. Consequently, he worried over her a great deal, still fearing he might lose her. "You can't get it made up in two weeks as much as we missed." He noticed her cheeks looked hollow still, and how terribly thin she still looked. "You aren't gaining your weight back quick enough, Annie and you need to."

"I'm okay, Sy," she soothed, managing to hold back her irritability. She knew she was feeling irrationally crabby, and she'd had chocolate muffins this morning to hold it back. "I just need a latte or something. Hey, Dorothy," she greeted the plump woman in glasses behind the counter.

"Hi, Annie. Good morning, Syrus," Dorothy greeted cheerfully. "What can I get for you today?"

"Dorothy, I'd like a grande latte with a shot of chocolate and a triple shot of espresso. I think I need a pick-me-up."

"Again?" the plump older woman asked curiously, some concern visible in her brown eyes. "You've been hitting the books too hard, honey. You missed part of the semester and the teachers understand. Take some time off tonight. Now, Sy, what would you like?"

Sy smiled. "I'd like one of your black cherry smoothies, please, Dorothy."

"Coming right up," Dorothy said, getting their orders. It didn't take long and she handed them their drinks. "Enjoy, kids… And Annie, take it easy, sweetie. We all want to see you better." Annie and Sy thanked her and headed off to class with their drinks.

"Are you sure you're okay, Annie?" the blue-headed male Obelisk asked, frowning with concern.

She just barely stifled a yawn as they headed into Professor Stein's Advanced Dueling History course. "Yeah…I'll be all right, honey," she answered with a smile as they sat in their seats together. He watched her all through the period and throughout the day, but tried to believe what she had said…

Now, a day later, Sy was kicking himself for not seeing how Annie truly was. 'I was with her all summer, and all through her time at the hospital and at home with me… How could I have missed this?' he berated himself.

Meanwhile… "Jesse? You seen them?" Jaden asked his new friend from North Academy.

The boy with teal hair and green eyes who bore more than a passing resemblance to the brunette Slifer Red shook his head. "Nope. Haven't seen hide nor hair of 'em since yesterday night, Jay."

"Us either," Axel Brody, an African-American student from West Academy said, indicating Adrian Gecko, a student from East Academy.

"Yeah...last I saw of the girls," Adrian said, "they looked like they hadn't slept in days. Jim?" the red-headed boy with glasses asked the Australian who carried a saltwater crocodile named Shirley on his back.

Jim nodded. "In fact, all four of those Sheilas held a similar look. You think somethin's wrong?" he asked, tipping his tan fedora back, revealing one blue eye and a bandage over the other eye.

"Sam Hill," Tyson groaned. "Let's go see if Miss Fontaine has any answers...If anything's happened to my Spanish Rose..." The Texas boy with the cut-off blazer, dark dreadlocks, tanned skin and hazel eyes thought back to three days ago when he'd had dance lessons with Rosa…

"One, two, three, one, two, three… Ouch!" Tyson yelped in the school dance studio. Usually at his dance lessons with his lovely and fiery betrothed, she was the one saying, "Ouch," as he clumsily stepped on her smaller foot. But today…

"Ty-Ty… I'm sorry," Rosa apologized in Spanish. "I keep stepping on your feet."

Tyson looked into his fiancée's warm brown eyes with concern and kept an understanding smile on his face. "It's all right, darlin'," he answered, also in Spanish. "You're just havin' an off day is all. Why don't we take a break? You can still teach me how to dance the bolero when you're feelin' on? We did study late last night…"

"Yes, we did…I ended up staying up later after we finished, reading the history notes from class," she explained, stretching the truth a bit. The truth was, she hadn't been able to get to sleep after the study group broke up and so stayed up reading her notes to relax her mind. But Tyson didn't know that. "I needed to be clear on the material," she concluded.

"Well, we can take a break from dancin' and studyin' and just relax, okay? We can go get a fruit smoothie from Miss Dorothy," he suggested.

"That would be wonderful, Ty-Ty," she agreed…

Tyson now, three days after the fact, was mentally kicking himself. 'What if I missed somethin'? I'm supposed to protect her!'

"Violet..." Bastion muttered. Yesterday afternoon, she too had made an excuse…

"BASTION-BABY!" Violet shouted as she strode across the campus. She was moving a little slower than usual, and her shout hadn't been as loud. But she still managed to reach him in seconds and crash into him with her hug.

Bastion had prepared himself for the usual crash to the ground and the laughs and giggles from onlookers. But today, he just felt her considerably softer impact. "Hello, darling! How are you this morning?" he asked, looking down at her.

Violet grinned and kept her arms around him. "Great! A little tired, but I did stay up a bit late last night."

He noticed she looked a bit paler than usual, but had a slight pink flush to it. He couldn't have known that she was wearing make-up to conceal the beginnings of exhaustion. "You do look a little bit tired, but still radiant, love... Were you up studying?" he asked.

She giggled, blushing a bit. "You know I don't study like that. I was busy reading this new manga I got and didn't realize the time...heh..." Violet hated lying, even if it was more like stretching the truth. She'd been scared to go to sleep and had read some manga to get her mind off of the nightmare.

"Which one was it this time?" he asked, having learned her collection backward and forward while she was recovering during the summer and in the early fall in Domino. "Were you reading Silver Flamer? Or the bunko-ban of Inuyasha?"

"Actually, it was Fruits Basket. Remember that one?"

"Oh, yes...It's a good thing they made a bunko-ban of that," he observed, smiling.

She returned the smile and was going to reply, but was interrupted by a large yawn. "Oh, man...sorry about that."

Bastion sighed, laughing a little. "Shall we get you some hot chocolate before you end up snoring in Professor Stein's class...again?" he asked, remembering yesterday's class where Violet had ended up out-snoring Jaden. Professor Stein had actually shown anger marks.

Violet blushed and sweat-dropped. "Good idea...Professor Stein looked pretty mad at the end of class..."

"Considering it's him...that's extraordinary. But darling, I wouldn't have you any other way but the way that you are."

"And I wouldn't want you to be any different, either, Bastion-baby..." And so they headed to Dorothy's where he got an Earl Grey tea and she got a hot chocolate.

'I should have seen it then,' Bastion thought, angry at himself. Throughout the summer when she had been injured and into the early fall as she recovered, he had kicked himself for not protecting her better. He was now angry at himself if there had been another failure on his part.

"Darn it, Lex...why wouldn't you tell me?" Jaden whispered. He, too, had noticed Alexis acting unlike herself, but had somewhat ignored it…

Two days ago, Jaden was sitting in Professor Stein's Dueling History class, trying his best to stay awake for once. "Lex…what's a Neolithic Cro-Magnon?" he whispered to his fiancée, who was sitting next to him and always paid attention. But today… "Alexis?!" he whispered in shock. She was sound asleep, her head on the desk.

"Mr. Yuki, is there a…problem?" Professor Benjamin Stein, a man with longish dark hair and glasses asked, then noticing one of his favorite pupils sleeping. "Miss Rhodes…is asleep?"

Jaden nodded. "Yes, sir," he answered in a normal voice. "Lex? Lex? Babe, wake up!"

"Miss Rhodes…are you all right?" the professor asked, gently shaking the girl's shoulder.

Alexis finally woke up, and realized Professor Stein, Jaden and most of the class was eyeing her with major concern. "Uh…hi?" she said, blushing a bit. "Jaden…what's going on?"

"Babe…you took a nap," he explained, sweat-dropping. "We're all surprised. You don't fall asleep in class."

"Miss Rhodes, is everything all right?" Professor Stein asked, clearly concerned.

She was still blushing and answered, "Yes, sir. I just was up late last night studying. I'm really sorry." Jaden's eyebrows raised, knowing the gang's study group had broken up at 10:00.

"It's all right, Miss Rhodes. Just try to stay with us, all right?"

"Yes, sir," she answered. After the teacher stepped away, she sat up a little straighter.

Jaden whispered, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered, a little bit shortly. He must've shown some hurt in his face because she then added, "Sorry, Jay… I guess I shouldn't have stayed up so late. I'll get a coffee after class…"

"Well, take a nap after our classes are over, babe, okay?" he asked.

"Sure," she agreed, and they tuned back into the lesson.

Now, two days later, the Slifer Red boy was furious with himself. "Lex…darn it…I should've seen something was wrong with you," he muttered under his breath.

"Annie...please be okay," Syrus also spoke under his breath, the prayer audible only to him. The boys raced through their food and ran to the Obelisk dorms, Syrus in the lead as he was an Obelisk Blue by rank. Miss Fontaine just happened to be stepping out the front door when they arrived. "Miss Fontaine! We need to talk to you!!" Syrus called as they ran up to her.

"Oh, hello, Syrus. Hello, boys; is everything all right?" she asked.

"Miss Fontaine? Where's Alexis?" Jaden asked.

"Where's Violet?" Bastion added without ceremony.

"Yeah, Miss Fontaine, where's Rosa?" Tyson asked urgently.

"And Annie??" Syrus added worriedly.

"Oh, goodness, nobody told you..." she realized. "Boys, they're sound asleep right now. I had to sedate them early this morning. I think you've all noticed that they're all exhausted..."

Syrus frowned; he had noticed, but hadn't thought it was bad enough that Miss Fontaine would have to sedate them. "But...why can't they get any sleep? Is something wrong??" he asked, face paling.

"They've been waking up screaming every night since they got back to school," she answered, face tight with concern.

"Nightmares?" Axel asked, a worried expression on his face. He might not have been with the group at Duel Academy Central only a few weeks, but he truly felt part of it. He remembered his father talking about each of the young men that trained under him at boot camp and how he got close to the boys who became men. And those boys got close to each other. Axel hadn't experienced it personally until now. And now he worried for the young women who he regarded as sisters.

"Yes...I can't be sure, but it may be all that happened to you kids this summer took its toll," Miss Fontaine explained further.

"Violet," Bastion breathed. "Miss Fontaine? May we see them?"

"All right...but they're all out and asleep in Annie and Violet's suite," she allowed.

The guys realized they had never been to Violet and Annie's room, or even the girls' dorm. Well, all except for Chazz, but he wasn't exactly with them at the moment. "Uh...Miss Fontaine? Where exactly is there room??" Syrus asked, grinning sheepishly.

"I'll take you...Annie and Violet are on the third floor. Jesse, Jim, Axel, Adrian, you four haven't tried to sneak over to the girls' dorms?" she teased, mirth in her gray eyes. She knew all too well the ways of young men and had occasionally caught boys trying to sneak into the girls' dorms.

"No way," Axel said, his dark features unable to hide a slight blush. It wasn't that he wasn't interested, but he knew he didn't want to have to answer to his mother. 'I can hear Mama now… "AXEL POWELL BRODY! YOU DO NOT TREAT YOUNG LADIES THAT WAY! DADDY AND I RAISED YOU BETTER THAN THAT!" I would be so busted,' he thought, mentally shivering. Kassidy Brody was not someone to be trifled with when angry.

"Nuh-uh," Adrian added, grinning slyly. "Not that the Duel Academy girls aren't pretty..." There was a girl he definitely liked who was some distance away, but that didn't mean he didn't look at what was available to him.

Jim raised an eyebrow at Adrian's remark, but decided not to say anything. "Never had a reason to sneak over," he replied simply with a shrug. Jim much preferred to hang out with his pet crocodile, Shirley and to commune with nature. He liked girls, but just wasn't interested in looking for one yet.

Jesse shook his head. "Me neither. Spend most of my time at the Slifer dorms." He had a girlfriend back home, and good friends here at the school. Further, pranking the girls in their dorms didn't enter the southern boy's head.

"Uh...I snuck into the Obelisk dorm once...Zane's room," Jaden groaned. Those not in the know looked at him in shock. "It was a girl's fault! She snuck in first and I was trying to figure out why..."

"Her name was Blair Flannigan," Bastion explained, smiling wryly. "She's quite the prodigious duelist..."

"Don't remind me," Jaden groaned as they walked through the dorms.

"Men on the floor!" Miss Fontaine shouted suddenly, startling the boys.

Syrus blinked in confusion. "Uh, was there a reason for that?" he asked.

"Yes, there is. We like letting girls know there are guys around," Miss Fontaine explained. "Some of the girls leave their doors open..."

"Ah...that's like when I took Violet to the Ra dormitories," Bastion remembered.

As if to emphasize Miss Fontaine's explanation, they heard a few doors slam shut. Syrus looked over at Bastion. "You did? What'd she say about your room??" he asked, remembering the walls.

"She loved it," Bastion said. "She was the first person other than my parents to like my walls. She saw it before you two did, Jaden and Syrus..."

"Yeah?" Jaden asked, surprised.

"Yeah," the tall Ra answered, smiling. "She came to my room a couple of days before you two ended up helping me repaint the walls. She really liked the walls. She didn't think me unusual at all…" The conversation had lightened the mood a bit, but the mood tensed again when they reached the girls' room.

"They're all sound asleep, and quite frankly, I doubt they're going to wake up right now. The sedative is very strong...I can't use it on them for too long," Miss Fontaine said gently as she opened the bedroom door. It was the first time any of these boys had seen an Obelisk girls' dorm room, much less Annie and Violet's suite. There was a pretty sitting area with a couple of big off-white leather couches as well as a TV and a Wii Generation 2 gaming console and Wii Fit.

"Wow...what a set-up," Jaden breathed, in awe of how the outer room looked.

"No wonder Annie got so upset at the inequality," Bastion commented quietly. He too was awed at the sheer magnitude of the room. And now he could only imagine what the bedrooms looked like. 'I guess I'll find out momentarily,' he thought. The four transfer boys sat down on the couches while Miss Fontaine got the engaged boys into the bedrooms. Annie and Violet were sound asleep on Annie's big bed in her room while Alexis and Rosa were sleeping in Violet's room.

The girls all had bags under their eyes and were pale from lack of sleep, and were in a deep sleep from the sedative. Now that the boys knew something was wrong, they could tell just how exhausted the girls had been. None of the four were wearing any make-up, so the dark bags under their eyes were very obvious. "Miss Fontaine...can't we do something?" Syrus asked, frowning at Annie's hollow cheeks, painfully thin body and very pale skin.

Bastion sat on the edge of the bed and brushed Violet's bangs. "Oh, Violet...darling, why didn't you tell me it was this bad?" he murmured softly, mercilessly kicking himself for not seeing it.

Miss Fontaine looked at the two worried boys in Annie's room. "We have to figure something out. The sedative I gave the girls is very strong. They can't be on it longer than a couple of days or they could get addicted and not be able to sleep without it," she answered loudly enough that the boys in Violet's room could hear her too. Jaden and Tyson looked up in shock from their location, but noticed their fiancées were dead to the world. Miss Fontaine saw the looks they'd given and added, "It makes them sleep very soundly, so we can talk normally.

Suddenly, Syrus realized something. "Hey, they didn't have these nightmares before. It started when they got to Duel Academy, right? Why are they having them now??" he asked. Sure, Annie had cried out in her sleep a couple of times, but she'd curled again him and been able to go back to sleep.

"Hmmm...what's different between this summer and now? How did the girls sleep this summer?" the nurse asked, trying to put the figurative pieces of the girls' health puzzle together.

The boys thought for a few minutes, and then Syrus' eyes widened in realization once again. "They...they were sleeping with us. I mean, in the same beds. Now, they're sleeping alone."

"I see," Miss Fontaine said, thinking quickly. "I'll have to call Chancellor Shepherd. We may have to do something for the girls' sake..." 'And it's not allowed,' she thought, 'but maybe we can allow it for these kids.'

"Miss Fontaine," Tyson asked without asking.

"It'll be all right," she soothed. Syrus thought he knew what Miss Fontaine meant, and wondered if the chancellor would allow it. It would probably be the first time since the academy was started that such a request was made. A moment later, the pretty school nurse confirmed his suspicions.

"I think I can talk Chancellor Shepherd into allowing a...coed arrangement. After all, their health is at stake. And I know you boys well enough to know that you're all good boys," she stated.

"Thanks, Miss Fontaine," Jaden said gratefully.

"Yes, thank you," Bastion added, relieved he might be able to do something to help his love.

"R-Really? Thanks, Miss Fontaine," Syrus replied gratefully, impressed that his guess was correct.

"No problem, Syrus...you, especially, are a good one. I think you're the sweetest boy that's ever come to Duel Academy," the nurse smiled.

Syrus blushed a little at the compliment, gingerly rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh, thanks, Miss Fontaine," he muttered.

"Well, it's true...you are," she said fondly. "Anyway, I'm sure I can get Chancellor Shepherd to also...promote you three in all but name..."

"What?" Jaden yelped. 'If she said what I think she said, I'll go up two dorms!' he thought in shock.

"Sam Hill," Tyson breathed, amazed.

"Oh, my," Bastion muttered. He had been a Ra his entire tenure at the academy; to suddenly change was rather an intense, but not unpleasant idea.

"So...they'd be like Obelisks?" Syrus asked, wrapping his mind around the idea.

"Yes, they would. Jaden refused promotion in his first year, remember?" she reminded Syrus.

He nodded. "So did Bastion, after he dueled Chazz."

"Would we change our blazers?" Bastion wondered.

"You don't have to...In fact, it may just amount to moving," Miss Fontaine explained.

"I can live with that," Jaden said grinning, then sobering abruptly. "I need to call Atticus and Chazz. They have to know..." He liked being a Slifer and couldn't see himself in anything but the red blazer. But that thought gave way to his future brothers-in-law and how they would about this.

Syrus nodded; they were Alexis' brothers, and they'd want to know about the other girls as well. "So, Miss Fontaine, when should the girls wake up?" he asked. He wanted to talk to Annie about all of this. 'She might not be okay with this… But what if she is?! Oh, man,' he thought.

"Probably not until tomorrow morning, Syrus. As I said, this is a powerful medicine," the nurse explained. The other boys made sounds of concern and worry.

His eyes widened in surprise. "No wonder you don't want to keep giving it to them..."

"Yes...they were so tired and frightened, though, I saw no other way to give them some uninterrupted sleep..."

"Miss Fontaine...did they say why they were so frightened?" Bastion asked.

"No...all they said was that they were really scared of their dreams..."

"Maybe they can tell us when they wake up," Syrus offered.

"Yeah...what could be scarin' Rosa so bad?" Tyson wondered. "She don't scare easy..."

"Neither does Violet," Bastion added.

"Lex doesn't either," Jaden added as he headed to the phone to call Atticus and Chazz.

"Annie can get scared...but it must be something bad to make her too afraid to sleep well," Syrus added. Even when she was scared during the summer, he reflected, she got enough sleep. For the current situation to affect her this way… Well, it must be pretty bad, he mused.

"Well...maybe you can stay here until they wake up," she suggested.

The small bluenette blinked. "All four of us??"

Miss Fontaine nodded. "I'll talk to Chancellor Shepherd since he's the head of the school, but I run the Obelisk girls' dorm, and I say it's okay." She got up and headed out of Annie's room to talk with the other four boys in the sitting area. Axel and Jesse were competing on the Wii, while Jim and Adrian watched. They paused the game and turned to Miss Fontaine as she came from the rooms. They wanted to do something, anything, to help their new friends.

"So what's gonna happen now?" Jesse asked for them all.

"I'll have you four return to your dorms this evening, but I need you each to do me a favor. Won't you?" she requested.

"Of course. What's the favor?" asked Jim easily.

"Get Tyson, Bastion, Syrus and Jaden their pajamas, okay? And head down to Dorothy's and get some treats for yourselves and the boys on my account, all right?"

"Wow. Thanks, Miss Fontaine!" Jesse gave a fake salute. "We're on it, right guys?" he asked the other three. Jim nodded.

"You bet!" Axel said.

"Okay, Miss Fontaine. Are you sure you want to..?" Adrian began.

"Don't worry, you four. Just do as I say. Thank you," Miss Fontaine answered smiling.

"All right! Let's get movin', guys!!" Jesse cheered, and the four trooped out of the room.

_So the young men are truly aware of the young women's conditions and are at their sides. Will Miss Fontaine's solution to the problem be allowed? How will Chazz and Atticus react to Jaden living with their sister? Find out next time in "Dark Dreams!" And until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	3. Dark Dreams

Chapter III: Dark Dreams

_Hello, again, GX fans! Wow! We're amazed yet again at the sheer amount of reviews we're getting. That's pretty cool, and we thank all of you that have reviewed. Now before we get to the story, we'd like to address an anonymous review that was less than cordial. _

_The allegation of sexism doesn't make sense to us. If it is because of Miss Fontaine's suggested treatment, we believe the reader has clearly missed the point of what is going on. The girls are seeing the school counselor after the summer they had; that's a given. But therapy is not quick enough for four young women who are clearly getting physically ill. Even with medication, these girls need something immediate to help them through this. And having their fiancés near them is a healthy way of coping with the trauma. The young women have been unconsciously keeping their friends and family away, when they should be having them close. So what Miss Fontaine is suggesting is a bit unorthodox, but actually good._

_A second question was raised by LunarEclipse31 about Annie's intake of caffeine. Annie's previous heart condition, which was fortunately dealt with in "Nightmare Resurrection" and was a major recurring problem in "Summer Love, Summer Fears" was not triggered by caffeinated products. She is fortunate in that regard, that she can enjoy coffee, chocolate or tea. Thanks for all the questions, everyone! So onto the story!_

_Last time on "Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Darkness Falls": Jaden, Sy, Tyson and Bastion discovered that their fiancées had been having nightmares due to the events of the summer. Miss Fontaine decided that the best course of action to help the young women was to let their fiancés stay with them. But how will other people react to this? Read on!_

_**Usual disclaimer: We don't own GX, but we own our OCs. We also don't own Weetabix, Vegemite or Violet Crumble.**_

As his fiancée slept, Jaden dialed Atticus Rhodes' extension number. 'He'll want to be up here and so will Chazz,' he thought.

Atticus had been relaxing in his room, sitting on his bed and practicing with his ukulele when the phone rang. He reached over and picked it up, setting the instrument aside. "Hello! Atticus talkin'!!"

"Hey, Atticus...it's Jaden...I'm up in Annie's room..."

Atticus blinked in surprise. "Annie's room? What are ya doin' up there??"

"Well, all the girls are up here...Atticus, something's wrong...Have you noticed how tired Lex has been lately?" the younger teen asked.

Atticus turned serious almost instantly when Jaden said something was wrong. "Yeah...but what's going on??"

"They're all sound asleep up here in Annie and Violet's suite. Miss Fontaine had to sedate them all last night...they've been waking up screaming the last few nights... They didn't tell us…" Jaden couldn't keep the pain out of his voice.

The oldest Rhodes brother's eyes widened. "Oh no... Didn't the counseling help?" The girls had seen counselors while they were in the hospital and in the weeks leading up to their return to school. The counselors had talked them through their fears and their nervousness, and helped Violet, Alexis, Rosa and Annie control their thoughts in the event of nightmares. 'If they had nightmares then,' Atticus thought, 'they were able to control them. And the school counselors have been talking to them too… Lexi, why can't I do better at protecting you?!'

Jaden sighed. "Not enough. They've talked it out, but… I guess they're still dealing with stuff and the counselor can't help with this part. I mean, they all look really sick," he explained, looking at his fiancée's pale features. Her usually creamy skin looked the color of curdled milk, accentuating the dark circles under her closed eyes.

"Is there any way to help them?" Atticus asked.

"Well...uh..." Jaden was glad Atticus couldn't see him flushing. "Atticus...Miss Fontaine has an idea...and it means...I'm moving into Obelisk, and so are Bastion and Tyson..."

Atticus blinked again in surprise. "Well, that's cool and all, but can I ask how that's gonna help??" he asked, very puzzled at this.

"Well...we move in with the girls..." Despite what had happened in the summer, Jaden now had a vision of an enraged Atticus and Chazz coming up and throttling him until he was unconscious. 'Okay, that's probably not going to happen,' he thought, 'but then again…maybe it could…' He sweat-dropped, unable to get the picture out of his head…

In Jaden's imagination… "SLACKER! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Chazz shouted, his face red as he ran after Jaden.

"CHAZZ! I'M TRYING TO HELP!" Jaden shouted, pleading for clemency, even as he ran for the woods much like the Road Runner. However, Atticus joined in the chase and the scene ended much like The Simpsons, with the two Rhodes brothers playing the part of Homer Simpson, strangling Jaden as Bart. Out of his imagination Jaden knew such a scenario was unlikely, but he still couldn't help but worry.

Atticus's jaw dropped. "W-What??"

"Yeah...we'd have the same sleeping arrangements we did this summer. Since they didn't have nightmares while we were with them," Jaden explained. "Atticus, it might work, because if the counseling isn't doing it and medication won't, then this might. And I promise you I'll be good to Alexis."

Atticus was a little shocked, but was all right with it so long as it helped his sister and the other girls. "Well...okay. Have you told Chazz yet?"

"No... Is he hanging around with you by any chance?" the Slifer asked, hoping to get this over with in one shot.

"Nope. Just me here...oh, can I come up and check on Lexi??" Atticus asked hopefully.

"Yeah...I'm sure that's okay! Let me ask Miss Fontaine..." He did and she approved. "Just meet up with Jesse and the guys at Dorothy's in 15 minutes, okay?"

"Uh, okay. I'll see you in a little while, Jay. And be sure to call and tell Chazz!"

"Okay! Thanks, Atticus! See you in a bit!" With that, Atticus hung up, and went to get ready before heading to Dorothy's. Jaden swallowed as he hung up. This next call wouldn't be easy.

"Hello, you've reached The Chazz," Chazz Rhodes greeted, sprawled on the big couch in his dorm room, dressed in his new bright red blazer. Chazz had decided toward the end of the summer that wearing red wasn't a bad thing, so he'd finally gotten fitted for the blazer of the dorm he belonged to.

"Hi, Chazz," Jaden greeted back.

"Hey, Slacker," the other teen returned in a brotherly teasing tone.

"Chazz...meet your brother at Dorothy's in 15 minutes, okay? You need to follow him up to Violet and Annie's room. Lex is up here and so are the others."

"Huh?" Chazz asked, sitting up abruptly.

"Chazz...they're not feeling good..."

"WHAT? What's wrong with my sister?"

"She hasn't really been..."

"Sleeping well? Yeah, she's been looking like a zombie...Is she okay?" Chazz had noticed yesterday how Alexis had been leaning against a wall, her eyes closed. He hadn't chosen to confront her, but had figured she was having an off day. 'Why didn't I say something?' he thought to himself angrily.

"She's on heavy meds so she'll sleep...just get up here and we'll fill you in," Jaden assured his future brother-in-law.

"Okay...see you in a bit!" They hung up and Chazz ran from Slifer all the way to Dorothy's. He made it to the snack shop with five minutes to spare. "I...hope...I'm not late," he puffed.

"Yo, bro!" Atticus greeted, poking his head around the corner of the hall. He'd been standing outside, waiting for his brother

"Hey...big...bro...what's wrong...with Lexi?" Chazz puffed. "Hey...guys," he greeted the four students from the other academies who had just arrived and were standing behind Atticus. Atticus blinked, glancing over his shoulder to see the four exchange students standing behind him. He yelped in surprise and jumped back, practically tackling Chazz in the process.

Jesse blinked. "What are you two doin' here?" he asked.

"Jaden called me and said to meet you guys," Chazz answered, finally catching his breath.

"They're probably going to check on the girls, mate. But we have to get those snacks first," Jim stated in explanation.

"Snacks?" Chazz asked.

"Yeah...Miss Fontaine's treating us!" Adrian explained with a slight grin. "We're also supposed to pick up Bastion, Tyson, Sy and Jaden's pajamas. They're staying over in the girls' room tonight..."

"Do you two know anything the guys like from here?" Jesse asked.

"Jaden eats everything, Jesse," Chazz groaned. "And Bastion...he likes the filled rice balls. Tyson likes just about everything and Syrus...he hates anything with spinach in it..."

"He hates spinach?" Axel asked. "No wonder he's so small..."

"No...He's small but he's gotten bigger," Adrian said calmly.

Jesse scratched his head. "So...rice balls, nothing with spinach, and we can just pick the rest? Well that sure sounds easy enough," he replied as they entered.

"Hi, Dorothy!" Atticus greeted.

"Hello, boys, what can I get you?" the plump happy woman asked, straightening her glasses.

"Uh, this is gonna be a heapin' order, Miss Dorothy. Miss Fontaine said to put it on her account. We'll take an order of rice balls, some sandwiches, popcorn, cheese puffs, and some cookies, please," Jesse explained, sweat-dropping a bit at the large order.

"Let me guess...Jaden's involved?" she asked, smiling at Jesse and the other boys.

"How'd you know, Miss Dorothy?" Chazz, Axel and Adrian asked, stunned.

"I've watched Jaden for over two years now...I know him very well," she answered with a warm smile.

"Well, see, the girls haven't been feeling well lately. They haven't been able to get much sleep because of nightmares, so the guys are gonna stay with them," Atticus explained.

"Oh, goodness. Annie's been drinking a lot of my lattes to stay awake in all of her classes. Alexis has been drinking a lot of green tea, and Rosa and Violet have been drinking hot chocolate like it's water. They're all looking like they haven't gotten any sleep at all...But Bastion, Tyson, Syrus and Jaden are staying with them tonight?" the card shack/snack shop owner asked.

"Yeah," Adrian said. "The girls are all taking a heavy medication so they'll sleep."

"That's why we're takin' them some snacks, and their pajamas," added Jesse.

"Oh, that's good. Jim, honey, I got something for Shirley and for you, too, okay?" she said, handing the Australian boy a big package.

Jim blinked in surprise, and Shirley growled curiously from her place on Jim's back. "What's this, Dorothy?" he asked.

"Did a little checking on what Shirley might like for treats. And I checked with South Academy for snacks for you. You're such a nice boy and you've been so nice to our animals, I thought you should have a little something. There are some pig trotters, sausages and fish snacks for Shirley and Vegemite, Weetabix and Violet Crumble for you," Dorothy said.

Jim grinned. "Thanks, Miss Dorothy. I'm sure Shirley and I will enjoy what you got for us. It wasn't necessary, but we're glad you got that for us," he replied gratefully.

"No problem, Jim. You boys all take care of yourselves. And make sure those four boys rest too," she instructed in a very motherly way.

"We will, Dorothy! Thanks again!!" Atticus replied with a grin as they left.

"So, Atticus, Jaden said they were staying tonight...Is anything else going to happen?" Chazz asked, worried. The young men walked out of the main school building and into the late afternoon sunshine.

"I think he mentioned something about them moving into the Obelisk dorms to be closer to the girls," Atticus replied as they headed down the dirt path.

"Into Obelisk?!" Chazz yelped.

"Yeah, to help make sure they sleep well," Axel explained.

"Yeah. What's wrong with that, Chazz?" Jesse asked, looking at the Slifer, extremely puzzled.

"Nothing! It's just...all of them?!"

Jim blinked. "Well, yes, mate. They all need to be there for their Sheilas," he replied.

"Oh, okay...Man...Slifer won't be the same..."

"Well, we can always visit them at Obelisk, bro," reminded Atticus.

"I used to live there...remember?"

Atticus nodded. "Yeah, you told me."

"And now Jaden's moving up...finally...and I'm still in there," Chazz sighed.

Atticus frowned, thinking that Chazz was envious. "Bro, it's for a good reason. Besides, Slifer can't be all that bad..."

Chazz groaned, and what he said next would surprise his big brother. "Yeah yeah yeah...well...I can't believe I'm saying this..."

"Saying what?"

"That I didn't mind being in Slifer as long as Jaden was there," Chazz groaned again. "He always had everybody around him...and everybody's happier when he's down there..."

By now they were making their way through the Obelisk dorms, and Jesse placed a hand on Chazz's shoulder. "Hey, don't worry, Chazz! I'll still be hanging out there!!"

"Oh, lord," Chazz groaned. 'Just what I need… Southern Jaden,' he thought. Sure he loved Jaden like a brother now, but that didn't mean Chazz wanted to hang out with him or his Mississippi counterpart 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

"Now, bro, that's Zane's line." Atticus stated.

"He's not here, in case you haven't noticed," the younger Rhodes boy pointed out.

The 19-year-old Obelisk blinked. "Oh yeah. I guess you can say it, then. I mean, we need someone like Zane around to be all serious sometimes."

"I'm pretty serious," Adrian said with a smile. "That's what my friend Echo says. And she's right about a lot of stuff..." 'It's a good thing the adoption was never finalized. Otherwise, I'd be going to Hell,' he thought, thinking of the lovely young woman he'd been friends with and that the world thought was his sister.

"So am I," Axel said, perfectly straight-faced. He was a fairly serious young man, but did know how to have fun. And right now, it was fun to be the straight man.

"Oh, great," Chazz groaned. The young men chatted quietly as they made their way to the Obelisk dorm and into the building. They took the elevator, and then they were at Annie and Violet's room.

Jesse knocked. "Hey guys, we're back!" he called through the door.

Jaden came to the door. "Thanks, guys, for doing that. Hey, Chazz, Atticus...Lex probably won't be awake until tomorrow...Did you get my pajamas?"

"Yep. Got 'em all right here," Jesse grinned and held up a bag as they entered the room.

"Thanks, Jesse, Jim, Axel, Adrian. You guys rock! Atticus, did you and Chazz bring pajamas, too?" Jaden asked eagerly.

"Uh...I didn't. Did you, bro?" Atticus asked.

"Oh, crap, did I forget to mention that you guys could stay tonight, too, since you're family?" Jaden asked. Then in Annie's room, Annie stirred and cried out.

"Sy," she moaned softly.

Syrus was instantly by her side, taking her hand. "Annie? Can you hear me??" he asked.

"Don't," she whimpered, face flushed and brows furrowed, as if she were in pain. "Sy...please..."

Syrus's grip on her hand tightened. "Annie, it's okay...it's just a dream...I'm right here," he murmured, sitting on the bed next to her, trying to calm her.

"Don't jump in after me," she whimpered. "Just let me go..."

Syrus blinked. "Jump in...? Oh, Annie, I wish I knew what you were talking about..."

"Camula, please, don't hurt him," she moaned weakly, tears coming to the edges of her closed eyes.

His eyes widened. "C-Camula? You're..." And then Syrus remembered how Annie had been suspended over the river. "You're having a nightmare about...about if I lost..."

"NO, SY!!!" she screamed out as if being tortured. But even with the nightmare, she wasn't waking up.

Miss Fontaine was in the bedroom in an instant. "She shouldn't be like this," she murmured, checking Annie's pulse, relieved that at least the girl's heart rate wasn't going irregular again. She looked at Sy. "Syrus...do you have any idea of what's wrong?"

"I-I think she's having a nightmare about what would have happened if...if I lost the shadow duel with Camula," he explained, brushing Annie's bangs with his free hand.

"Oh my...it's bad if it's broken through this level of sedative...I can't do any higher than this," Miss Fontaine murmured, wishing there was more she could do than what was being done.

Syrus didn't know what to do, and then it happened again. "Leave me alone," Violet groaned, eyes clenched shut and fingers twitching.

Bastion, sitting on the other side of the bed, took his love's hand gently. "Violet, darling...It's a dream...I swear it isn't real, now," he murmured, knowing that she had Taniya and Mike to contend with in her nightmares.

Violet jerked away at the touch, flinching lightly. "Go away," she moaned, seemingly to Bastion but in reality to her nightmare.

"Violet...who's scaring you?" Bastion asked her, raising his voice, and hoping she heard him. "I'm here...Bastion's here..."

"BASTION!!!" she screamed, tears brimming at the edges of her closed eyes. She was shaking, clearly with terror at what was going on in the landscape of her dreams.

"I'm right here, love...I'm right here," Bastion murmured, gathering her into his arms. He hoped the physical contact would do something to help her calm down. By now, Syrus had tried the same method with Annie, and both girls seemed to relax a little.

As if things couldn't get any worse, it started again. "Annie...Jay," Alexis breathed, worry obvious in her tone.

Jaden was sitting in Violet's room where Alexis and Rosa lay. "Lex," he murmured. Chazz and Atticus sprinted into the bedroom to stand behind him.

"Sis?" Chazz called out, worry clear in his face, eyes and tone of voice.

"Lexi..?" Atticus whispered, as worried as his little brother.

Alexis gritted her teeth for a moment, hands clenching and unclenching. "No... Yubel... Leave him alone..."

"Yubel?" Jaden murmured. "Lex...she's not going to hurt us anymore," he called out to her, holding her wrist since her hands were tightly clenched.

But Alexis didn't seem to hear him. "No...no, stop... stop..."

"Alexis..." Jaden held her gently in his arms. "Babe," he murmured, hoping this would help her somehow. She relaxed a little, and of course it came as no surprise when Rosa spoke up.

"It...burns," the Spanish girl groaned in her native language, shivering.

"Rosa...darlin'," Tyson said in Spanish, gathering her close to him too.

Rosa tensed as if shocked, then relaxed a little. "No...don't take him," she quietly begged again.

"Spanish Rose...oh, darlin'," Tyson whispered again, wishing he could go into her head and beat back the nightmare form of Jose and that snake. Finally, all four girls seemed to relax back into their deep sleep, comforted by their loves' embraces.

"This is bad," Jaden groaned, looking at his future brothers-in-law as his fiancée slept in his arms.

"Yeah," Chazz added, looking worried.

Tyson sighed. "She was dreamin' of that night..." It still stung him that he hadn't been able to protect her, but as the child of a soldier, he knew there were some things that he couldn't protect Rosa from.

"Little sis," Atticus breathed, sadness filling his eyes.

In the other room, similar feelings were held by the other two boys. "Miss Fontaine, how could they be so bad that not even your sedative worked?" Syrus asked.

"The traumas they all faced this summer...it's just strong enough to break through is all I can think of," Miss Fontaine sighed.

"Do...Do you think it'll be like this for the rest of their lives?" the blue-haired boy asked fearfully.

"No, Syrus...sometimes it takes a while to get over these kinds of traumas...some longer than others. And they all faced death, abuse...a lot of things this summer. A lot of people would be worse off than them after facing all that. It's as if they've been through a war. The fact that they're even sane is a miracle. If you four boys hadn't stood by them, I don't know if they'd be okay now," the nurse explained. "It's why I think having you four with Alexis, Violet, Rosa and Annie may help them, even though it's an unusual tactic. You may each be able to help where the counseling and medicine haven't," Miss Fontaine concluded gently, laying a hand on Sy's shoulder.

Syrus looked sadly at Annie. "Annie...I'll be here until you wake up...I promise," he murmured again, brushing her bangs again.

"She knows, bro...she knows," Jaden said from where he was, still cuddling Alexis.

"Syrus...you were there for her...She knows you won't abandon her," Bastion added, keeping Violet close to him.

Sy nodded. "Violet, Alexis, and Rosa know you guys won't abandon them, either...."

"No, we wouldn't," they answered.

Meanwhile, none of them could see the eyes watching them from every shadow, every inch of darkness in the large room. Only their owner could hear its cackle, easily seeing the darkness in each of the humans' hearts. "Humans...filled with such darkness. Soon, they will be in the World of Darkness where they belong. It is impossible to avoid the inevitable. Soon this world will be cleansed as they give in to the Darkness," the creature hissed, voice once again audible to only its ears. Another shadowy figure stood behind it, hidden by the shadows with only his evil grin visible. It appeared that the girls and guys were not safe yet...

_So it begins again… A new villain has reared its head and its name is Darkness. What will happen next for our gang? Of course, the faculty/staff council has to convene to discuss the sleeping arrangements and the potential ramifications of said arrangements. So next time, please stay tuned for "Awakening Decisions." So until then, please read, review and stay tuned for the next exciting installment of "Darkness Falls!" Thank you and happy Easter to everyone who celebrates it, and a blessed Passover/ Pesach to all of you of the Jewish faith!_


	4. Awakening Decisions

Chapter IV: Awakening Decisions

_Welcome back, everybody, to _Darkness Falls!_ Sorry the updates aren't coming as fast for this story as the previous ones! Until today, Peach was working on the latest installment of _The Jedi League of Duelists_. And today, she updated that story. Anyway, back to the shared Yugi-verse! We hope you enjoy a rather unusual argument that the teachers hold over cohabitation._

_Last time, Chazz and Atticus raced to their sister's side, and the young men from the four different Duel Academies brought snacks up for the young men who kept vigil at their fiancées' sides. And a frightening new enemy made itself known to you, dear readers. So what will happen next? Read on! _

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX. Seriously…**_

_Authors' note: Darkness and the villain known as Trueman or Mr. T (yes, there will be jokes about that) were villains introduced in GX's final season. They aren't ours. _

It was well into the next day when the four girls awoke. The transfer boys had gone to their own dorm rooms to sleep and the remaining six boys stayed in the dorm room with the girls they loved. Chazz and Atticus were asleep on the couches in the sitting room and the other four young men slept in the rooms with their fiancées. All four of the young men clasped their loves' hands, instinctively feeling as they'd fallen asleep that they held the nightmares at bay.

Rosa was the first to stir, fingers twitching slightly as she woke. 'Who's holding my hand?' she wondered briefly, before recognizing the hand. 'It's rough…Ty-Ty?' she thought. She opened her eyes about halfway, blearily taking in the sleeping form by her bedside. "Ty...Ty," she muttered.

Tyson was awake nearly in an instant. "Rosa...oh, Spanish Rose, you had me worried..." He looked at the clock. "Sam Hill...you've been sleepin' for 36 hours," he explained in Spanish, pulling her into a warm hug.

Rosa blinked a few times to clear her vision, and weakly hugged him back. Some of the sedative still weighed down on her body, and she was still lacking on sleep. "Ty-Ty, I...I had it again," she whispered in her mother tongue. "The nightmares came back…"

"Shh...it's all right...just let yourself wake up...I'm right here. And I'm not leavin'," he murmured. 'She had nightmares after the snake bit her but didn't get so scared and tuckered out,' he thought, still very much concerned. He hadn't thought much of her stirring in her sleep when they were back in Spain, but now it was very clear that incident and the one with Jorge had dealt more serious blows than anyone had realized, even the counselors she'd seen. Relief washed over Rosa, comforted by his strong embrace and his words in the meantime.

Meanwhile, Alexis was now waking up as well, and her hand moved. She opened her eyes a little, yawning slightly as she recognized a splash of red beside her. "Jay...?"

"Hey babe...you feeling a little better?" he asked gently, squeezing her warm hand.

Alexis blinked, using a heavy hand to rub the sleep from her eyes. "Y-Yeah...what..?" she asked. "How did you get here? I mean, I'm glad you're here but…what happened?"

"We got worried when you weren't around yesterday morning so we came up to the dorm and Miss Fontaine told us you were having really bad nightmares...Lex, I should've asked you what was really wrong," he sighed, swallowing. "I'm a lousy fiancé, aren't I?"

Alexis managed to grab his hand, and was able to pull up a smile. "Jay...it's okay...I should have told you..."

"I should've figured though...You dreamed about what happened in the summer, didn't you?" he asked, pulling her into a tight hug.

Alexis nodded. "Yeah," she admitted, relaxing into his arms.

In the other room, Violet had also woken up. She looked dazedly around until her eyes fell onto Bastion, and her heart leapt into her throat. "B-Bastion...?" The last time she'd seen him in the dream world, he was lying in a pool of blood, his open gray eyes sightless as they seemingly stared up to the heavens above the ancient coliseum on Academy Island.

"Oh, darling...Violet, love...are you all right?" the real Bastion asked, worried, seeing the dark circles under her eyes. "Oh, Violet...you've been asleep for a day and a half...how are you feeling? And what was the nightmare?" he asked, pulling her into a hug without waiting. Concern was etched all over his finely chiseled face, and anyone could see the pain as well.

It took her a moment to fully register what was going on, and she hugged back. "Bastion-baby...you...you're not..." The image of his deceased, bloody form on the ground was burned in Violet's mind and flashed through it again like a powerful storm.

"I'm not what?" he asked tenderly, unsure of precisely what she'd dreamt of.

Violet held to him tighter, eyes clenched shut at the thought. "D-Dead," she barely choked out, heart pounding.

"What?" he asked. "Oh...no, no...Shhh...I'm right here...I'm very much alive...and so are you," he assured her, tightening his grip on her, knowing she needed as much strength as he could give. She couldn't stop the tears from coming, and resorted to crying on his shoulder as he held her.

Then, Syrus noticed Annie stir, and he gently squeezed her hand. Annie slowly came awake, blinked several times and got her eyes into focus. "Oh...where," she murmured, feeling the room spin a little. 'Who's here?' she mentally wondered, feeling a familiar hand in hers.

"You're in your room, Annie...you've been asleep for over a day," Syrus explained, coming into her field of vision by moving above her head.

"Sy...Syrus..." Her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, honey...I had the most horrible dream..."

He immediately leaned down to pull her emaciated body into a hug. "I know, Annie...Miss Fontaine explained everything. You...you were dreaming that I lost...weren't you...?"

"No...I dreamed...I fell when I tried to transform...you went in after me...and we both," she choked out. She began shaking all over, remembering how it had all felt so real.

Syrus's eyes widened, and he held her closer. "Oh, Annie...I'm here now, it's only a dream. It didn't happen," he whispered, trying to comfort her.

She held onto him, still trembling. "I saw our funeral..."

He froze at the thought, then kissed her cheek. "Annie...we're both alive...just remember that..."

"Yeah...I know...it was just so real, and I've seen it every night," she whimpered, the tears running down her face and soaking his bright blue jacket. Syrus rubbed her back in a calming way, just holding her against him. And then, despite having lost her dinner a day and a half before, Annie started to gag, likely a side effect of the sedative. Syrus heard her gag, and quickly ran over to pick up the small wastebasket by Annie's desk. He returned to her bedside, holding it for her in case she did throw up. And she did, hard.

"Oh, my," Bastion exclaimed as Sy held the bucket and Annie puked. "Miss Fontaine!" he called.

"Coming, Bastion! Oh my goodness! Annie...we'll get some crackers for you, honey," the nurse said, moving to Annie's side. Annie couldn't reply, as she was vomiting so hard.

Violet wanted to help her best friend like she had been the past two weeks, but hardly had the strength to pull out of Bastion's embrace. "Annie," she called tiredly. Syrus was trying to make it a little easier for Annie, holding her hair up and whispering words of comfort. Finally, Annie had dry heaves and then those ceased.

Miss Fontaine had a cup of water which she had Annie sip, then swish around in her mouth and spit out. "There you go," she murmured gently.

"Th-thank you," Annie said weakly as she sank against Sy. He held her again, having set the wastebasket aside.

"It's okay, Annie," Syrus whispered, running a hand through her hair. Miss Fontaine, with the confidence of having done this several times before, took the basket into the bathroom and washed it out.

Meanwhile, Bastion kept Violet in his arms. "It's all right...Annie's going to be all right," he soothed. She clung to him again, and probably would have been throwing up, too, had it not been for the sedative helping her get some sleep.

"Bastion-baby....even that medicine...it didn't work," Violet mumbled, remembering the nightmare.

"Miss Fontaine's going to try something else for all of you, darling...It's going to take some negotiations with the Chancellor, but Miss Fontaine thinks you can recover with this," Bastion began to explain, truly not certain if the school would even allow it. But he had to be sure Violet was okay with it first.

"W-What is it..?" she asked.

"Would you be okay with me...moving in with you?" he asked softly, flushing a distinct shade of pink.

Violet blinked in surprise. "Huh? But...how..."

"If the Chancellor approves, I'll move into Obelisk Blue and be in the dorm with you. I'll stay in the yellow blazer, but...I'll live in Obelisk in your room. Chancellor Shepherd just has to approve it," Bastion concluded. "I want you to be comfortable with this, and your parents as well… This isn't like summer was, after all."

She had to admit having him so close would make her feel a lot safer. "Bastion-baby...I...I hope you and....the others can..."

"You want me to?" he asked, stunned.

Violet nodded, face still buried into his shoulder. "I...I need to know you're safe," she mumbled.

Meanwhile, Annie lay in Sy's arms and looked up at him. Down to a scant 95 pounds, her bones were visible. "Sy, is that true what Bastion said?"

Syrus nodded, sadness flowing through him when he felt Annie's bones through her nightgown. 'She's so weak. And the counseling hasn't helped her enough,' he thought. "Yeah, Annie. It's the only thing Miss Fontaine can think of that will let you guys get some sleep without hurting you worse," he explained, also getting a slight flush on his cheeks.

"Oh, Sy," Annie smiled, tiredly.

Meanwhile, in the other room... "Rosa, darlin', would you be okay with...uh... cohabitatin'?" Tyson asked in English, his tan features turning a ruddy brown.

Rosa blinked. "What??" She had no idea what he'd just asked.

"Uh...what I mean is...well...would you...mind if I lived with you?" he asked again, slowly.

She blinked again, still a little confused. "As in...now..?"

"Yeah...Y'see... Miss Fontaine doesn't want to give you any more of that medicine she gave you since it's powerful stuff and since you didn't have the real bad dreams this summer since we were sleepin' in the same room, Miss Fontaine thought...we could be roomin' in the same barracks...Feel free to slap me," he said at a bit of a gallop. He was nervous about this, not because he didn't want to do this, but because it was a big step to move in with the girl you were going to marry. 'Mama and Daddy'll understand that it's necessary, but still… Dang it… this is hard,' he thought.

Rosa didn't reply for a minute or two, brain slowly registering each thing he'd said. Finally, instead of slapping him, she hugged him closer and rested her head against his chest. "That...that would make me so happy, Ty-Ty," she whispered, sounding as happy as she felt.

"Oh, darlin', I'm glad you're happy," he whispered back happily.

Meanwhile, Jaden looked at Alexis. "What Tyson said, babe...you mind if we...uh..." his face was turning red.

Alexis smiled softly. "Yeah...it's okay, Jaden. I...it'll help a lot...I think," she replied weakly.

"You sure?" His heart was pounding as it had when they had sat in the tub in his house in the summer.

She nodded. "I...want you close by..."

"Okay...if you're sure, babe. I think your brothers were trying to decide whether to hug me or kill me yesterday," he told her. "I thought they might strangle me or hunt me down… or both!"

Alexis sighed. "As if one over-protective brother wasn't enough," she groaned, "but I'm glad they care..."

"Yeah...They're out in the sitting room," he said, remembering.

She blinked in surprise. "They...are? Could you...get them??"

"Sure, babe. You okay for a minute?" he asked, gently laying her down onto her pillows.

Alexis nodded. "Yeah...I'll be okay..."

Jaden nodded and stepped out to the sitting area. To his surprise, Atticus and Chazz were awake and playing Go Fish. "Got any 5s?" Chazz asked his brother, looking as he did when in a very serious duel.

"Nope. Go fishin', bro," Atticus replied with his usual easy grin. Then, the older boy noticed Jaden. "Oh, hey Jay, anything changed?"

"Yeah...Lex is awake and she's asking for both of you. Rosa's awake too," Jaden explained.

Atticus blinked. "Lexi's awake??" he asked as he stood, forgetting about the card game.

Chazz stood quickly. "She's up?"

"Yeah...c'mon..." Jaden led the two brothers into the room where Tyson was still hugging Rosa to him and Alexis was laying heavily against her pillows. She smiled a little at the sight of her big brother and her little brother, for Chazz was a few months younger than Alexis.

"Hi, Atty. Hi, Chazz," Alexis greeted sleepily.

Atticus grinned happily and hugged his little sister. "Lexi, you had us so worried..."

"Hey sis," Chazz said, joining in the hug. "You...you're okay?" he asked, the fear for her evident in his tone.

"I'm just...really tired, bro," she replied through a yawn.

"You had nightmares...bad ones?" Chazz asked further, remembering the nightmares he'd had after Slade and Jagger's brutal attack on him the past summer. He, like his sister, was still undergoing counseling, but the counseling had worked well for him.

Alexis nodded. "Almost every night since we came back," she admitted.

"Oh, man...Lexi," Chazz hugged her tightly for a minute.

Atticus glanced at his brother. "Well, sis, in this case...we're okay with Jaden staying with you. Right, bro?"

Chazz nodded. "Yeah...we want you getting better...and we know Jaden will be honorable toward you...or we'll pound him," he said very seriously. Jaden gulped at this.

Alexis sighed, sweat-dropping a little. "Uh, thanks, guys. I really don't think that'll be necessary..."

"It won't be...I swear!" Jaden yelped, looking freaked out.

"Good," Chazz grinned wolfishly. Atticus was also grinning, but in a friendly way, mostly because he thought Chazz was just joking. After all, Jaden just wasn't that type of person. Chazz's grin changed to match his brother's and then he slapped Jaden on the back. "I was joking, future bro! You knew that, didn't you?"

"Um...yeah," Jaden said, laughing and sweat-dropping. Alexis shook her head, but had to admit it was a lot nicer having the others around instead of being alone in her dorm.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Miss Fontaine, secure in the knowledge that the girls would be all right, said goodbye and left the room. An emergency meeting of all the instructors was called in Chancellor Shepherd's office one hour later. "Fonda, your call was very urgent," Chancellor Shepherd noted. "And it's about Alexis Rhodes, Violet Haverbrook, Annie Hanson and Rosa Jimenez?"

"That's right, sir, and my solution to the immediate problem is rather unorthodox," the redheaded woman explained.

"Well, what is this solution?" Dr. Vellian Crowler, a man with blonde hair, blue eyes and the misfortune of looking rather like Frankenfurter from "Rocky Horror Picture Show" inquired.

Fonda took a deep breath. "In order to explain this best, I need to tell you the situation and what's been tried. Very early yesterday morning, I received a call from Annie Hanson. She informed me that Alexis and Rosa had come up to her and Violet's room after all four girls had bad nightmares. They have apparently not slept well since they returned to school. Before they came back to school, they had been under the care of Dr. Kaiba and Counselor Karen Otani to make sure they were dealing with the issues of the summer and their physical injuries as well," the nurse explained.

"They were on some medications to deal with stress and trauma, but Dr. Otani had them weaned off of it after a period of time to see if any symptoms materialized," she continued. "When symptoms didn't materialize, Dr. Otani concluded that it was safe to let them discontinue their medication. She also concluded that it was safe for them to return to school and be under our counselor's supervision. They have each had appointments with the school counselor every day and the counselor reported no problems, even though the girls seemed tired. However, early yesterday morning, it seemed the girls reached their internal coping limits. I sedated all four of them and had a chat with their fiancés. The boys informed us that they had slept in the same beds as their fiancées throughout the summer which in retrospect may have greatly reduced any trauma.

"The nightmares broke through the sedatives yesterday afternoon and the boys were able to soothe the girls back into a restful sleep. They seemed a bit better when they woke up a little bit ago and seemed more secure with the boys in the room. Observing all of this, I concluded that the best immediate measure would be to allow Jaden, Syrus, Tyson and Bastion to stay with their fiancées. If there were another way that would allow the girls to recover their health without doing this, I wouldn't have suggested it. So you see, everyone, I think the girls' health will improve if the boys move in with them," the auburn-haired nurse concluded grimly.

"Well, Fonda...you make a good case. But I'd like to hear everyone else's opinions," Chancellor Shepherd said, looking around the table.

"Chancellor, this could set a dangerous precedent," Jean-Louis Bonaparte said. He was a rotund short man with a pointed black beard and a dark turquoise jacket. "Students could argue for permanently co-ed dorms!"

"Jean-Louis has a point, Chancellor, and let's not fool ourselves. We have had students who have sneaked around and gotten into trouble. Even with our precautionary care courses and allowing students access to prevention methods haven't stopped it. We've had young women and men leave this academy because they couldn't bring themselves to get those prevention methods. However, we are talking about eight students that have proven themselves trustworthy. They have made commitments to each other and been to Hell and back together. I honestly think we have nothing to fear from allowing this and these four girls will be better for it," Dr. Crowler said. A year ago, he couldn't have seen himself defending what he was now defending, much less a certain "Slifer Slacker" who had actually become very special to him. 'I never thought I'd seriously be the good guy and advocate for Jaden of all students!' he thought ruefully.

"I, for one, agree with Monsieur Bonaparte. Allowing such a thing would break one of the most basic rules this academy was founded on," added Professor Benjamin Stein in his oh-so-monotonous voice. He was still a young man, with longish fluffy dark hair and spectacles. He wore an Obelisk Blue jacket, was a history teacher and was well-known for his monotonous voice. Nearly every student pointed out that his voice was even more monotonous than the comedian and economist with the same name. "I do not believe that cohabitation is a good idea, as it will encourage students to possibly take risks and then demand they sleep with their 'baby's mama or daddy.'"

"Well, I know Bastion and Tyson are wonderful boys. They would do anything for the girls they love, and so would their friends. I say if it helps, then we should allow it," voiced Professor Don Sartyr, the headmaster of Ra Yellow and the card design teacher. He was a happy looking man in the traditional Ra Yellow blazer, with a gray mustache and kind gray eyes along with a soft possibly Spanish accent. He was a bit on the thin side, which belied his status as Duel Academy's finest chef. "I will be glad to do whatever I can to aid in the girls' recovery," he offered.

"Professor Viper? Do you have an opinion?" Shepherd asked.

The large professor from West Academy stood up. His tanned skin, buff muscles and pointy hair made him look very menacing. However, since his alliance with Yubel had crumbled and he was no longer plotting to take Jaden's life energy to somehow resurrect his son, Pierce, Thelonius Viper had turned out to be a very nice guy. "I do have an opinion," he said in his calm baritone, "and these kids have been through the fire...I think, especially since those girls' health is at stake, it's worth the risk." 'I understand what it's like to be a soldier,' he thought, 'and an honorable one. I know what it's like to risk your life to save another. And they've all been through it. I choose to trust them, as they've trusted me…' Jaden and his friends had made an effort to help Thelonius through his own grief at losing Pierce, and the man had been very thankful.

"Ben, Jean-Louis," Crowler added, looking at his two fellow faculty with genuine feeling in his eyes, "I had a hard time admitting this, but...I know for a fact that Jaden Yuki is a good boy and he will not betray our trust. He risked everything this summer. You didn't seem him facing down one of his favorite monsters when she went on a rampage. He fought her hard...Syrus Truesdale, the same way. Trust them. Trust them all."

Professor Stein adjusted his glasses, and something in him gave in. "...Very well, I agree to the suggestion proposed by Fonda," he replied.

Bonaparte looked at Crowler. "You really believe..?"

"Yes I do, mon ami; please," Vellian pleaded softly.

Bonaparte rubbed his fingers on the bridge of his nose, sighed, and then nodded. "Oui..."

"Then...by a show of hands...All in favor?" Shepherd asked. Everyone raised their hands. "The ayes have it!" Shepherd smiled. "Good! So...as to promotion, Fonda, how do we deal with that?"

Fonda smiled. "Well, I think we can just move the boys into Obelisk and not promote them to Obelisk. They would each remain at their respective ranks and stay in their earned blazers, but they would live in Obelisk Blue. They can go back to their old dorm rooms when they want or need to, and the girls can get better. That's my idea." The teachers talked and Miss Fontaine's original proposal that the boys just move into the best dorm was accepted. "So you're not losing two Ras, Don," Fonda smiled at Professor Sartyr, blushing lightly. She couldn't admit it yet, but the pretty nurse was nursing loving feelings toward the Ra professor.

He smiled back. "Even so, I will miss them. They brought a certain flavor to the Ra dorm." 'How beautiful she is,' he thought, unable to keep the thought from his mind.

"They won't be leaving completely...knowing Bastion, he'll need a place to write on the walls," Fonda smiled knowingly.

"He can have as many walls as he likes in Obelisk," Dr. Crowler said. "But he and Tyson like your cooking best."

Professor Sartyr's smile became a grin. "What can I say? I learned from the best, and that is what I serve."

"It's true...and besides, I know at least one Obelisk girl who needs to gain weight," Miss Fonda added, her face becoming a bit worried. "Annie's way too thin..."

"If it would be all right, I can always send over some food to help out," Sartyr offered.

"That would be great," she answered. "The other three will have a bit more spring in their step in a few days...but Annie may take a while to recover..."

"About their class work," Professor Stein spoke up. "I'm guessing that they're too worn out for their lessons, correct?"

"Yes, Ben, they're exhausted...I suppose you've noticed a drop in the quality of the girls' schoolwork?" Fonda inquired

"Yes, especially Annie who's usually an above average student. When do you believe they'll be ready for it again?" he asked, straightening his glasses.

Fonda thought a minute. "I'd say the following...Alexis may be ready as early as next week along with Rosa. Rosa, though, may push herself too hard. We can't allow her to do that. Violet may be ready in a week and a half...Annie, though...we have to watch her carefully."

Crowler nodded in agreement. "Ben, none of those girls is to be pushed before they're ready. They'll relapse..."

The history instructor nodded. "I understand. Fonda, just tell me when I can allow them to have their make-up work."

"You can start sending it, but they'll send it back as they're able. And they all have good nurses besides me," she said with a smile.

"Oh?" Bonaparte asked.

"Yes. Their fiancés are excellent caregivers."

Stein nodded. "I'm certain they'll be sure to pace the girls with their schoolwork." And with that, the teachers agreed to let a Slifer and two Ras, along with an Obelisk boy, move into the Obelisk girls' dorm.

_So Jaden is moving out of Slifer… Is that a sign of the Apocalypse? We hope not. But the guys and the teachers being okay with it might just be. We know this is a definitely unorthodox solution to the girls' problems, but under the circumstances when you have four young women who are at the point of collapse and drugs aren't an option, this sort of therapy seems a better option. So next time, we'll see a nice, easy dinner. So next time, join us for "Dinnertime," and until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you in advance for your reviews and for reading!_


	5. Dinnertime

Chapter V: Dinnertime

_Hello, everyone! Glad you could make it for another chapter of Darkness Falls. We were glad to see you reviewing and so many readers. We're always glad to hear from you, good, bad or indifferent. So thanks! Anyway, on with the story!_

_Last time, Miss Fontaine suggested that Jaden, Sy, Bastion and Tyson all move in with their fiancées and the entire faculty agreed that it was ultimately a good idea. So what will happen next? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: Uh… --Jaden walks in— Uh…they don't own me or anybody else except for Annie, Violet and Rosa. Peach and 15animefreak15 didn't turn me emo! So they don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise… Uh…what's a franchise? –A hook appears, dragging Jaden off the stage—**_

Jaden, Syrus Bastion and Tyson were informed an hour after the decision was made that they would be moving into Obelisk Blue as guests, but would not be changing their rank. "We had to call your parents," Chancellor Shepherd explained in the sitting room of Annie and Violet's suite. "This is not the usual way we do things at this school, and I hope you understand the seriousness of the situation and the trust all the teachers are putting in all of you. We know you have all broken the rules in the past, but it's mostly been for good causes… and the occasional prank," the headmaster said calmly. The young men stared, realizing yet again their chancellor's seeming omniscience. "And that means we trust you all. Your parents do as well, and if you find yourselves in… difficulty…" Here the chancellor's friendly face turned slightly red. "We want you to see Miss Fontaine about… protection, okay?"

Poor Jaden was beet red, Bastion had a pink tinge on his cheeks, Syrus looked like he usually did when he was freaked out and Tyson buried his head in his hands. Finally, the Slifer Red young man said, "Yes, sir," in a voice about three octaves higher than his own. He cleared his throat and said again, "Yes, sir. Uh…we're planning to wait, sir, but…we're glad you told us…" 'This is about as bad as talking about that with Mom and Dad! And that didn't really come up until Lex and I got serious!' he groaned mentally.

"Well, I'm glad you've told me that, Jaden," Shepherd grinned sheepishly. "So… just stay here for now and we'll finish the arrangements to move you in." And with that, the chancellor stepped out of the room and away.

"This is bloody strange," Bastion observed when he, Syrus, Jaden and Tyson were in the sitting room alone as the girls slept again.

"Yeah...I didn't think all of the teachers would agree on it. Especially Professors Stein and Bonaparte. And Dr. Crowler even stood up for us!" Syrus replied.

"So...wow...they finally promoted me," Jaden said in awe.

"Sarge...I think we stay in our old barracks' colors," Tyson said.

"Yeah, but we're living in Obelisk Blue...I still want to hang out at Slifer, though," the brown-haired boy said. There was an edge of wistfulness in his voice, for he knew this change was likely permanent.

"Well, we can probably go over there once the girls are feeling better. We're not banned from there now that we're staying here," Syrus reminded his friend.

"Yeah...not like the reverse, huh, Sy?" Jaden grinned. "Y'know...we ought to send Dr. Crowler a fruit basket or something...Without that fake love letter, I don't think Lex and Annie would've really gotten to know us..."

Sy grinned. "You have a point there..." He remembered the events of his first year all too well, particularly the night that had led to him meeting the great love of his live. He knew he would always remember that night and the shy, sweet voice calling his name softly in the darkness and the young woman emerging from the shadows.

"I hope Violet doesn't mind my consistent wall-scribbling," Bastion wondered. "This, gentlemen is going to be almost exactly like married life. Granted, we're still in school, but we're all living together...without our parents to tell us what and what not to do..." The gravity of this really hit him. 'I'm not a boy any longer… With this…I am a man…'

"Private Misawa...Sam Hill, you're right," Tyson said. "It ain't like this summer..." The Texas Ra realized this as well.

Syrus blinked. "Oh man, this is going to be a little...weird. But, at least we're getting, er, practice, right? Thing is...when we're married, Bastion and I won't be living in the same house." They both were staying in Violet and Annie's suite since the girls lived together.

"We could all live in the same apartment building," Jaden commented, "and that'd be cool! I mean we can't expect to get houses first thing, starting out in the pros...Oh, man! I just thought of something else! We don't have jobs...Wait...school's our job...Anyway...we have to move our stuff up here..." The Slifer Red's mind was going a mile a minute, thinking about all the changes.

"It'll kind of be like moving in with your girlfriend," Syrus offered, thinking.

"Major difference here, Private...We're already committed to the women we're movin' in with," Tyson said clearly.

"Yeah," Jaden realized. "We're getting married in a year or so..."

"Oh...and we're probably gonna be planning those weddings, huh?" Sy asked.

The other three boys looked at each other, then at Sy. "Private Truesdale...this is going to be one crazy year," Tyson sighed. "Question is...how in Sam Hill do we set the dates?"

"We could see if the girls want to do the weddings at the same time," Jaden said.

"Yes...Violet and Annie will probably want to be each other's maid of honor," Bastion said thoughtfully.

"We can ask them about having the four weddings at once when they wake up. Of course, there's also the location," Syrus replied.

"Oh, boy," Tyson groaned. "Rosa might want to get married in Spain..."

"Violet might want to be married in Ohio," Bastion said.

"Lex and I'll want to get married in Domino," Jaden said.

"Annie might want to get married in Seattle," Syrus added.

"Well, I suppose we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Bastion said, knowing the difficulty that might ensue. "In the meantime...let's just worry about getting the girls well. Syrus, I know you'll want Annie to fill out her wedding dress nicely, so you need to fatten her up again," he smiled wryly.

"I know. And maybe when Violet's feeling better, she can help again," Sy replied, smiling.

"I know she'll be glad to help, Syrus," Bastion said with a smile. Just then there was a knock at the door. Bastion got up and answered. "Oh, Professor Sartyr! Hello!"

"Hello, Bastion! Hello, boys!! I brought a little something for you to have for dinner since you'll be watching the girls," Professor Sartyr greeted, holding up a large bag of food.

"Thanks, Commander Sartyr!" Tyson said.

"Man, Professor Sartyr, you didn't have to do this!" Jaden added. "But thanks!"

"Yeah, thanks a lot!" Syrus added, smiling.

"It was my pleasure, boys. It is wonderful to see how much you care for these girls," the teacher replied, setting the food down. "I made some stew and fresh bread for you all," he added.

Syrus's smile widened. "I remember that duel you had with Tyson last year. And how we had curry afterwards..."

Tyson, Bastion and Jaden all started laughing at the memory. "One of the craziest ways to get to the chow line ever!"

"Yeah! That duel rocked!" Jaden grinned. "You want to join us, Professor?"

"Please do, sir," Bastion added eagerly.

"Well...all right. I suppose it couldn't hurt," Professor Sartyr answered, smiling.

"Thank you, sir," Bastion said.

Suddenly, Violet poked her head into the sitting room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Please tell me I'm not still dreaming and that's real food..."

"Oh, darling, you're up!" Bastion said, getting up, heading to his love and kissing her gently. "You're not dreaming and Professor Sartyr brought over his good stew and bread..."

"Wonder if the other girls are waking up?" Jaden said.

"I think Annie's up," Violet replied, eyes fixated on the bag of dinner. Then, Alexis and Rosa were standing in the other doorway.

"So are we," Alexis stated tiredly. The three young women standing in the doorway, though still tired, looked a bit better than they had a few short hours before. Rosa's features had gone from grayish to the healthier olive tone everyone was accustomed to. Alexis's brown eyes were brighter and Violet's eyes and cheeks were brighter.

The young men got to their fiancées and helped them to the couches. "Up for some dinner, Lex?" Jaden asked.

"Got some chow for you, Spanish Rose," Tyson added.

Meanwhile, Annie was wobbling from her bed to the bedroom door. "Oooh," she groaned softly, hating herself for being so weak.

Alexis nodded at Jaden as Syrus quickly went to Annie, helping her out of her room and over to a seat. "Do you feel up to eating anything, Annie? It'll make you feel better..."

Annie nodded. "Yeah, I'm starving. Oh, hi, Professor Sartyr. Did you bring dinner?" she asked happily. "Wow...I'm actually hungry..."

"That I did, Annie. I hope you girls will enjoy it," Sartyr replied as he passed around bowls and spoons.

Syrus smiled. "That's good, Annie. You need to get your strength up..."

The teens all got bowls of stew and the young men helped their fiancées if they needed assistance. Tyson gently handed Rosa a bowl of stew. "All right, darlin', you need to eat...can you feed yourself okay?"

She nodded. The sleep had given her some of her strength back, and she was too determined to let her muscles fail her. "Si, I can," Rosa answered, and started eating.

"Lex...babe, here you are," Jaden said. "You okay to eat without help?"

Alexis held the bowl and spoon a bit shakily, but felt she could do so just fine. "Yeah, I'm okay, Jay..."

"Okay..."

Bastion got a bowl for Violet. "Darling, can you feed yourself?" he asked, concerned.

Violet took the bowl, blinking when a few drops landed on her feet. Her hands were shaking so much she had to set the bowl back down. "Uh...you think it'd be the same with a spoon?" she asked, sweat-dropping.

"It's all right, darling...I'll help you...minus the mention of Oxygeddons," he smiled sheepishly, remembering when she was at Cleveland General.

She giggled a bit. "Sounds good to me..."

Meanwhile, Annie reached for the bowl, but she was just too weak. "Sy..."

"It's okay, Annie. I'll help you," he replied. Syrus took the bowl, gathering a spoonful and blowing gently to cool it. "Here..."

Annie took a bite and her eyes closed in pleasure. "Oh, yum...this tastes so good..."

The other girls, having also tried some by this point, nodded in agreement. "Muy delicioso," Rosa stated.

Professor Sartyr grinned, eating the stew in a very genteel way. "Thank you, girls. I'm glad you like it."

"Yeah," Tyson said, taking a bite too. "Thanks, sir. This is the best."

"Yeah, Professor!" Jaden grinned.

Sy was busy feeding Annie as she was eating better than she'd eaten since her attack in July. "Gosh...I'm actually eating," she said, astonished.

Syrus smiled. "I know...it's great that you are, Annie," he replied.

Violet paused in her eating to send a grin her best friend's way. "Yay, Annie!!"

Tyson ate thoughtfully, grateful that Rosa was where she was and her tremors were nearly gone from her. Jaden, too, looked at Alexis. She'd been the least injured of the four girls and yet she'd still been weak. She was much better now if she could eat on her own. "Violet, eat as much as you can," Bastion said as he spooned a little more stew up. Violet grinned and nodded, taking the spoonful of stew...and then pulling the spoon out of his hand playfully. It was just like back at the hospital.

"Annie, you eat as much as you can, too. Okay?" Syrus stated, giving her some more of the stew.

Annie nodded. "Okay..." He fed her the whole bowl and all four girls were able to eat the bread on their own. Annie smiled as she chewed. "Professor Sartyr, do you have a good spot to proof the bread dough?"

"Why, yes I do, Annie. But I'm afraid it's a secret. We can't have Dorothy finding out and using it," he replied, grinning.

"Proof? You mean like in math??" Violet asked.

"Violet, proofing is what you say when you're talking about the bread rising," Annie said. "I'm surprised you didn't know that..."

The purple-headed girl blushed a little. "I never paid attention to the fancy terms they mentioned in cooking class. It's easier to just say 'bread rising' than try to remember 'proof', and then have to explain it to someone who doesn't know," Violet explained simply, taking another bite.

"That's cool," Annie answered. "When I was back home, I used the room with our hot water heater to get my foccacia bread to rise. We had a shelf that I could use. I covered the dough and set it on the shelf. Bastion, I think you'd appreciate the need for proper conditions?"

"Yes I would...baking is definitely like chemistry...until you get to the decoration," he answered with a knowing smile.

"Then, it's like art! One of my favorite parts of cooking is the decoration and setting the plate." Violet stated happily.

"Hey, Annie, what's foccacia bread?" Syrus asked.

"Foccacia is a flat bread and it has herbs, cheese or olives or a combination of things on it. I do a combo of herbs, olive oil and sea salt on mine," the blue-eyed young woman answered.

Violet blinked. "Really? I do Swiss cheese, rosemary, and thyme foccacia bread. I can only make it a certain time of year, though."

"The summer?" Annie guessed.

Violet nodded. "Sometimes in spring, too. It's hard getting the right conditions."

"Yeah, I understand. I tried making the bread here at school once and...it didn't work out so well," Annie admitted.

Syrus glanced at the other guys in the room, then cleared his throat. "Uh, girls? Do you four feel up to talking about the, er, weddings??" he asked.

Violet grinned. "I'm up for it!" she replied eagerly.

"Yeah. Me, too," added Alexis. Rosa nodded in agreement.

"All right," Annie agreed.

"This should be interesting," Bastion added.

"Yeah, let's talk about the nuptials!" Tyson grinned. Jaden nodded too, looking a little nervous.

"Well, I'll be going, then. I wouldn't want to intrude on such a private matter," Professor Sartyr stated as he stood, gathering up what was left into the bag.

"Well, thanks, Professor, for the great dinner and thanks for joining us!" Jaden grinned.

"Yes, thank you, sir!" Bastion added.

"Thanks, Professor!" Tyson grinned.

"Thanks again, Professor," Annie added. "I really enjoyed it!"

"Yeah, we enjoyed your company," Alexis smiled.

"You're a great cook!" Violet added.

"Gracias, Senor Sartyr!" Rosa said.

"Yeah, thanks, Professor," Syrus added. He smiled and gave a wave before taking his leave.

Annie laid her head against Sy. "That was so yummy...I'll gain my weight back in no time!" she said cheerfully. "So...you guys are already thinking about the weddings?"

Syrus blushed a little. "Well, uh, we were thinking how us moving in is kind of like when we're going to live together. And that led to thinking about the weddings..."

"Oh...yeah," Annie realized. "Guess this summer wasn't enough like it..."

"Yeah...we don't have our parents to keep an eye on us anymore," Jaden pointed out.

"Well...about the weddings," Violet began, grinning. "I'm guessing I wasn't the only one who thought of having them all together, right?"

"You too?" Annie and the guys asked.

Violet sweat-dropped, clearly surprised. "Yeah..."

Alexis nodded. "I have, too..."

"Rosa? What about you, darlin'?" Tyson asked.

She nodded. "Si...but there is one problema..."

"What's that?" he asked, concerned. 'Oh no… I ain't gotta wrestle her daddy again, do I?' he thought in horror, but fortunately the Spanish girl erased his nightmare with one word.

"Location."

They all looked at each other. "That is a problem," Bastion said. "If we could find a neutral site that everyone could agree on..."

Annie thought and then smiled. "OH! I've got it!!!"

"What??" almost every other person asked, eyes wide.

"Here!" she answered, face lit up like a Christmas tree.

Violet blinked a few times. "....Here? You mean at Duel Academy??"

"Yeah!" Annie said excitedly. "It could work! We could have the wedding outside and not have to worry about guest lists and it'd be a neutral site where we've spent some of the best years of our lives!"

"But would the chancellor allow it?" Syrus asked.

"Wouldn't hurt to ask, if everybody likes the idea," Annie said, looking a little nervous. Tyson, Bastion and Jaden looked at their fiancées, shocked that it might just be this easy.

Violet shrugged. "Sounds good to me," she replied.

"Yeah, it'd be different," added Alexis.

"Si, I agree," Rosa stated.

"And I think we'd be the first couples ever married here," Annie added.

"Well, if that's what you want, Lex, then that's great!" Jaden said. Bastion and Tyson nodded in agreement.

"Well, that takes care of some of the logistics," Bastion said. "Hmmm...we could have dancing in one of the arenas..."

"Hey...and none of us has to worry about who'll be best man if we're all getting married at the same time!" Jaden added.

"But we still need a best man, Jay," Syrus reminded.

"And maids of honor!" added Violet.

Annie smiled. "Well...Violet...there's no one I'd rather have than you..."

She grinned. "Right back at ya, Annie! But can we do that if we're both getting married at the same time...?"

Bastion looked thoughtful. "There's no rule that says you can't have that...and...guys...well...I'd have a very difficult time picking a best man...you're my best friends," he said gravely, unable to keep the emotion from his voice.

Syrus smiled. "Same here. I mean, I might pick Jay, but you guys are all my friends."

Violet sighed. "This is hard...."

"Aw, gosh..." Tyson groaned smiling and trying to hide tears. "I can't choose, either...I won't have any shortage of groomsmen...I know Juan, Bruno, Jacobo, Jesus and Horatio will want to take part, but...my best man's my platoon leader...Sarge..."

"Aw, man, Tyson," Jaden sighed, laughing. "Maybe us getting married on the same day together would mean we're just doing everything together...and some people don't have official best men...they have co-best buddies..."

Violet sighed, leaning back in her seat. "If only it were possible for us all to be each others' maids of honor and best man..."

Annie looked at Sy, an idea coming to her mind. "Honey, could you get my laptop? It's in my bedroom..."

Sy blinked. "Oh, okay, Annie." Syrus left for a moment, then returned with the laptop Annie had asked for.

She flipped it open and looked up quadruple weddings. "Oh boy...this may get complicated..."

"Well, I think we kind of figured that out already...but how much worse is it than we originally thought?" Alexis asked.

"There aren't rules to cover this...I guess...we make our own rules..."

"Wait...what??" Violet asked.

"There isn't much at all about quadruple weddings," Annie explained. "And all I can find is on double weddings. They don't say anything about groomsmen or bridesmaids or maids of honor. I have however seen that when sisters who are really close get married, they don't have maids of honor because their maid of honor's already there!"

"So...in other words, you're saying we don't really need to name anyone a maid of honor or best man? They'll just be there??"

Annie nodded. "Yeah...and we'll mention it in the program..."

"Well, glad we don't have to worry about that. But there's still a lot we need to plan," Alexis stated, sighing.

"Yeah...colors...how do we agree on that?" Annie asked, worried. "We have to figure out flowers, the cakes..."

"Guys, don't panic. How hard can it be?" Jaden asked.

"There's a lot we need to plan. And then there's the cost," Syrus replied, grimacing.

"Huh?" Jaden asked.

"Yes, Jaden...these things aren't free, you know," Bastion answered, sighing patiently.

"Well...how much does a wedding cost? A thousand bucks?" Jaden guessed. Annie's jaw dropped.

Violet thought for a moment, trying to remember what her parents had told her when she'd asked earlier in the summer. "Uh...I think Mom said they usually go from 20,000 to 70,000 dollars. And that doesn't include honeymoon and ring."

Jaden's face drained of color. "That much?"

"Sam Hill," Tyson groaned.

"Oh, bugger, bugger, bugger," Bastion added.

"Of course...there's always plan B," Annie suggested, with a slightly naughty grin on her face.

"And what would that be?" Alexis asked, bewildered at the dark-haired girl's wicked grin.

"We could run to Las Vegas over winter break," Annie answered, smiling sheepishly.

Violet's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "The land of 24-hour chapels and weddings at half the price and all the glamour!" she squealed. Violet loved Las Vegas and the idea of a quick wedding there sounded like fun. However, she still loved the idea of everyone getting married together at Duel Academy.

Annie's eyes widened, figuring another solution. "How about plan C...We get married here and split the cost and we can do a lot of stuff ourselves..."

"Oh, all right," Violet agreed, smiling.

"That should work," added Alexis, grinning at the thought of the wedding being easy. Rosa nodded in agreement.

"Spanish Rose...is everything all right?" Tyson asked, concerned that his future bride was so quiet.

She had been stifling her yawns pretty well, but knew he could probably see how tired she was. In fact, all of the girls looked pretty tired after filling their stomachs with warm stew and bread. "Er...no..."

Tyson caught it. "You need some shut-eye..."

"Babe, you do too..." Jaden said, as Alexis unsuccessfully tried to hide a yawn.

"Violet...you need rest as well," Bastion added. Annie, too, yawned, despite her excited burst of energy.

"Especially you, Annie. You're still a little sick," added Syrus, still worried about his fiancée. He couldn't help it after the summer and her nearly being taken from him in the early fall.

Violet sighed. "All right, all right, we get it. We'll get some sleep," she groaned. She knew the guys were only trying to help, but she wished they wouldn't be such worrywarts. Heck, Bastion was acting like she'd shatter like a Ming vase!

The boys helped the girls back to bed. "There you are, darling," Bastion said to Violet, making her comfortable. Annie yawned again as Sy got her into bed.

"You just rest, Annie. I'll be here if you need me," Syrus stated quietly.

"Mmmhmmm," Annie murmured, nearly asleep already. Her burst of enthusiasm had taken most of her energy and so her eyes closed fairly quickly, her breathing slowed and soon she was dreaming peacefully with her love close to her.

Meanwhile in the other room, Tyson and Jaden got their fiancées settled. "Just relax, Spanish Rose," Tyson soothed, starting to sing softly. Rosa didn't answer, asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Jaden too, got Alexis comfortable. "It's okay, babe...Just remember, Yubel won't hurt us anymore..."

Alexis nodded, eyes starting to close. "I know, Jay...it'll be easier knowing you're nearby..."

"Yeah..." Jaden said softly. "I'll be here all night..." He rubbed her back gently until she drifted off. And then, as it was only 8:30 PM, the four young men headed into the sitting room, did their homework, played video games and then headed to bed themselves.

_So it seems dinner went off without a problem. Yes, guys, we're actually giving the gang breaks before chaos reigns again. It may be a bit before Darkness shows up, but in the meantime, we will have the sweet romantic chaos of wedding plans and living together. So next time, join us for "Moving Day!" So until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you, as always because you fans all make it worthwhile!_


	6. Moving Day

Chapter VI: Moving Day

_-Syrus walks onto a stage, a la the first few Simpsons Treehouse of Horror specials and clad in his Obelisk Blue blazer- Um… Hi, everybody. Peach and 15animefreak15 asked me to do the introduction today because… -Sy turns a little red- Well, they thought I could do it. So here I am. Thanks to all of you who have been reading and reviewing and liking the fact that in this timeline, I actually have a real girlfriend/fiancée. And Rainwalker, the authors wouldn't beat you up! Really! So… on with the story…_

_Last time, Jay, Bastion, Tyson and I found out we were going to live with our fiancées to help them get better from their nightmares. We were all freaked out that Dr. Crowler, of all the teachers, said we'd be okay together! So we got used to the idea and Professor Sartyr brought us dinner. Then we went to bed. So what will happen next? I guess we'll find out…_

_-Annie peers around the red curtain- Sy, do the disclaimer!_

_**-Sy takes a deep breath and pulls Annie out onto the stage. They take a deep breath and do the disclaimer together- Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. –Annie smiles- Peach just owns me and 15animefreak15 own Violet and Rosa. –Sy grins- And the two authoresses own this storyline, and their version of this universe. –The couple bows and heads offstage-**_

Annie, Violet, Rosa and Alexis slept well that night with the young men they loved close by. It seemed that Syrus, Bastion, Tyson and Jaden were the key to the young women's feelings of security and safety. The next morning the boys didn't go to class, but got the girls back to their rooms, if they needed to be moved. And then, they began packing their stuff in their dorm rooms.

Syrus had the shortest distance to travel, so he was planning on helping the other boys with some of their things after he was done. He was currently carrying a medium-sized box of his things down the halls of Obelisk to Violet and Annie's suite. 'Aw, man, this is big,' he thought. 'This isn't like summer when we were with my mom and dad and then with Alex and Kathy,' he realized, thinking of Annie's parents and how understanding and kind they'd been. 'Well, that's okay. I can do this and help Annie to be okay again.'

Meanwhile, Jaden packed up his things from his dorm room. "Man...I didn't think I'd leave this dorm until I graduated," he sighed to himself, looking around at the simple room he'd called home for over 2 years.

Yubel appeared at his side as did his other monsters. "You've always been in Slifer, Jaden?" she asked. 'I've missed so much of his life,' she thought, 'and I want to know all that he's willing to share with me…'

"Yeah...I started out here, Yubel...This is where Sy, Chumley, Tyson and the other guys and I had so much fun together. Last year when Alexis had trouble in Obelisk, she came here. I have a lot of good memories, you know?" Jaden explained.

Yubel smiled. "I'm sure that you do, Jaden. Just think of the memories you'll make with Alexis after you're married..."

Jaden smiled and flushed a little. "Yeah...wow..."

"Wow?" Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin, otherwise known as Aquos, asked. "Jaden, do I detect a hint of...nervousness?"

"Yeah...Aquos, I don't know how it is on your planet...but marriage is a serious thing," the Slifer boy answered, an edge of nervousness becoming more obvious.

Elemental Hero Sparkman understood. "I understand. Sparkwoman and I learned that..."

Burstinatrix smirked. "Yes. You'll soon be an adult, and likely have family responsibilities in a year or so. Right, Avian?" she asked her husband.

Avian blushed. "Burstinatrix...oh, boy...Jaden...it's a wonderful thing...and I think you're pretty much an adult already. You proved it this summer."

"I did?"

"Yes, you did. You took care of Alexis and were there for her no matter what. That's what marriage is. It's not just loving the person, it's loving her even when she drives you crazy..."

"Oh? I drive you crazy, do I?? Well, I suppose the craziness is dealt on both the husband and wife," Burstinatrix explained, scoffing lightly.

"I know I drive you crazy!" Avian said quickly, sweat-dropping and holding up his hands in a calming gesture.

Yubel sweat-dropped. "Are they always like this?" she whispered to Jaden and the others.

"Yeah...I just never noticed...wait a sec...Burstinatrix...didn't you get ticked off when Avian got hit with that Maiden in Love card?" Jaden asked. Avian groaned and face-palmed.

A vein popped out on Burstinatrix's forehead, flames gathering around her fists. "Oh yes. We never did have that little TALK I promised you, did we?" she growled, gritting her teeth. Yes, Burstinatrix had to be the most frightening female monster in Jaden's deck. Yubel might be tough, but she wasn't married.

"I...thought we did," Avian groaned.

The other Elemental Heroes and Neo-Spacians backed up, except for Neos. "Burstinatrix?" he asked, moving between her and Avian.

She looked up at the head Neo-Spacian, clearly frustrated. "Yes?"

"Was it entirely his fault?" Neos asked gently, knowing he had to get her to think about this logically.

Burstinatrix crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "...No..."

"So...do you really need to be mad at him?" he probed (Avian took a deep breath, relieved).

Burstinatrix sighed, moving her hands onto her hips. "I guess not." The flames had died down, as had her anger.

"Thanks," Avian whispered to Neos.

"No problem. I have a degree in marriage counseling," Neos whispered back.

"Huh?" Jaden asked, stunned.

Yubel blinked. "If this is how some superheroes act, I wonder what goes on in that deck of aliens Violet has," she said, stunned.

Jaden looked stunned. "Wow...marriage is complicated. But so is the getting married part..."

"You said it," Sparkman agreed, thinking of his wedding to Sparkwoman.

"Violet's monsters are...pretty interesting," Avian added, thinking of a few parties the monsters had held in their own dimension. Violet's monsters could be pretty wild, he remembered.

"I'm sure you'll do fine, Jaden," Burstinatrix stated encouragingly.

"Thanks, Burstinatrix. Did you and Avian live together before you got married?" he asked.

"Well...he stayed with me for a little while before our marriage. If I remember correctly, his mother had kicked him out of the house," she remembered, smiling fondly at the memories of setting up a home with Avian.

"Mrs. Avian did that?" Jaden asked, eyes bugging.

"Yeah...I...uh...used Quill Cascade one too many times and Mom wasn't too thrilled about who I was marrying...but I didn't care," Avian said, taking his wife's hand.

"Aw, you guys are like the Incredibles," Jaden smiled, thinking of the movie about superheroes.

"I suppose you're right. Being a superhero does make housework easier," she replied, grinning. "Avian does a great job at dusting." Jaden smiled at that as he kept packing.

Over in the Ra dorms, Bastion packed up. "This is still my bachelor pad...I'll be back occasionally. Violet won't like me writing on the walls at all hours anyway," he said to himself.

"Private Bastion?" Tyson asked as he came from his room. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, Tyson...just...two years of my life here...a bit strange to be leaving it...I can come back down here when I need to think, but...things will never be the same again. We're not boys anymore...we're men," the older Ra said seriously. He knew things had changed and it was admittedly unnerving.

Tyson looked at his friend gravely. "Yeah...my dad me somethin' like that when we came back to Texas...he said once you're ready to take a wife, you're no kid..."

"Your father is very wise. My dad told me much the same thing..."

"Both of your father's are smart men," stated a softly accented voice. None other than Professor Sartyr walked into the room, smiling at his two star Ra pupils.

"Professor Sartyr!" Bastion said in greeting.

"Sir!" Tyson said, shocked into saluting. "We didn't hear you!"

"At ease, Tyson. I'm sorry I startled you, boys. I just couldn't help but come up and visit one last time," the professor explained.

"Thank you, Professor...I intend to come back down here," Bastion said. "I still need my workshop if that's all right...but it won't ever be the same again, will it?"

Sartyr shook his head. "No, it won't. But you are welcome to come back anytime you like, Bastion. The same goes for you, Tyson."

"Thank you, sir," Tyson said, now standing in the traditional "at ease" pose, his legs apart and his hands behind his back. "These are still my barracks, even if I hung with the Sarge a lot. Permission to hug you, Professor Sartyr..."

Sartyr blinked in surprise, then smiled happily. "Permission granted, Tyson."

Tyson wrapped his teacher in a bear hug. Then Bastion hugged the professor as well. "Thank you...for everything..."

The teacher's smile widened as he hugged the boys. "Think nothing of it. It's been my pleasure as a teacher," he replied.

"You've been our friend, too, with all due respect, sir," Tyson said, letting go. Bastion let go as well.

"I'm glad to hear that. Now you two better finish packing. There are two girls waiting for you," Sartyr reminded them, heading out of the room with a suspicious dampness around his eyes. He would miss the two young men he'd helped guide.

They did, and before long headed out of the dorm. "Quite a load we have," Bastion commented.

"Yeah," Tyson agreed, looking at their collection of boxes and trunks.

"Hey, could you guys use a hand?" Axel Brody called, walking up to them. Adrian Gecko, Jesse Anderson and Jim Cook, along with his crocodile, Shirley were outside along with Jaden. The group had come from Slifer and saw the two Ras with their gear.

"We're glad to help!" Adrian added.

"Just tell us what we can carry," added Jesse eagerly.

"Okay...er...Jesse, could you manage my laptop?" Bastion asked.

"Sure thing!" the southern teen replied, taking the light machine.

Shirley had a little wagon that she was pulling and Tyson reached down to pet her. "Hey, little lady, think you can handle a duffel bag in your cart?"

She gave a short growl, nodding her head up and down. Jim smiled. "I believe that's a yes, mate," he said.

"She's quite a pretty critter, Jim," Tyson said admiringly. Perhaps Shirley was being playful when Tyson turned his back, because she took the opportunity and playfully bit him in the butt. "SAM HILL! OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH!!!" he shouted.

"Tyson! You okay?" Jaden yelped, dropping his suitcase on Axel's foot. "AW GEEZ!!"

Axel had jumped back into Jesse, which sent Bastion's laptop flying from his grasp. "Oh no!" Jesse gasped. However, another yelp of pain was heard as the laptop crashed into Syrus' head, sending him sprawling onto the ground. While all of this was happening, Jim had managed to convince Shirley to release Tyson from her grasp.

"Sy! You okay?!" Jaden asked, worried, running up to his best friend. He picked up the laptop which remarkably was undamaged.

"It's my new one," Bastion said. "I got it last school year because I told Mum and Dad that I needed something that would survive even a tactical nuclear strike..."

Syrus groaned, a large red mark on his face. "What hit me??" he asked.

"My laptop," Bastion groaned.

Shirley, meanwhile, held up her right front clawed foot to Tyson in apology. "It's all right...you probably smelled my beef jerky," the boy grinned, pulling a piece out of his pocket. "You all right, Private Truesdale?"

Sy managed to stand, dusting himself off. "Yeah...but now I've got a headache..."

"Do we need to take you to Miss Fontaine?" Bastion asked, concerned.

"No, it's okay. It should go away in a few minutes. I guess...I just came to help at the wrong time," the small Obelisk answered, slightly stunned.

"No...I just kept the wrong treat in my pocket and didn't think about a really pretty little critter mistakin' my butt for a rump roast," Tyson grinned sheepishly.

"You okay, Jesse?" Axel asked. "Sorry about that..."

Jesse grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, I'm all right. Are you okay, though? That suitcase didn't exactly look light..."

"I'm wearing army boots," the African-American young man answered, smiling lightly.

Jesse blinked. "Oh yeah. Good point..."

"They're thick. My dad got them for me," Axel said. "He used to say you need good footwear for any situation and these boots are good for just about anything."

"Except dancing," Syrus stated.

"I have shoes for that, too...just don't wear them much," Axel said seriously.

"You will, Axel...you're comin' to the wedding," Tyson grinned.

"One big wedding?" Adrian and Axel yelped.

Jesse and Jim were also looking a little surprised at this new development. "Well, uh, yeah. We figured it'd be easier if we had the four weddings at once. Plus, we can split the cost." Syrus explained.

Shirley moved over to a clump of flowers, picking them up with her jaws. She handed them to Jaden. "You want to be a flower crocodile, Shirley? Is that it?" Jaden asked.

Jim smiled, surprised at his scaly sister's initiative. "Would that be all right, you four?"

"We'll have to run it by the girls, but I'm sure they'll be delighted," Bastion said. "Thank you, Jim, and thank you, Shirley." Bastion held out his hand and Shirley laid her clawed front paw in his hand to shake.

"Well, we should get back. Do you guys have all your stuff?" Syrus asked.

"Yeah...we're ready, Syrus," Bastion answered, looking back at Ra Yellow. So the small group made their way back to the Obelisk dorms luckily without further mishap.

Tyson found his way to Rosa's room on the first floor of Obelisk Blue and Jaden walked a few doors down to Alexis's room. Mindy and Jasmine had been moved to their own room and so Jaden and Alexis had the room to themselves. Rosa too had her room to herself, so no roommate moving was necessary. "Hey, darlin'," Tyson called, knocking on the door and coming in.

Since she had no roommate, Rosa's room was a bit smaller than the other three girls' rooms. It had a small sitting area with a kitchenette in the corner, a bed, a dresser, a closet, and a bathroom. On a wall by the bed was a billboard with pictures from the past summer and all the times before. Rosa was currently laying on her bed, listening to calming Latin music. "Hola, Ty-Ty," she greeted.

"Hi...This is right cozy," he said, smiling and setting down his stuff. "Just tell me where to stow my stuff...Your dad is okay with this, isn't he?"

She nodded. "Now that we are engaged, there are no limitations, remember?"

"Yeah...I just have to keep remindin' myself of that," he answered, gently. "So...where should I put my stuff?"

Rosa sat up, glancing at the duffel bag he held. "Well, what do you have? Clothes can go in the closet."

"Okay!" He got his clothes stowed and then had his computer. "How 'bout my computer?"

Rosa thought for a moment, then stood and went to her desk. She placed a vase of flowers that was on it on her bedside table instead. "Place it here, by mine."

"Okay," he said and did it. "I think that's it...Oh! Uh..." He pulled something out of his bag. It was a medal and some sort of certificate. "Uh...can I hang this on the wall? It's kinda a good luck charm..."

"What is it for?" Rosa asked, moving aside some pictures so he could put it on the billboard.

He showed her. "Dad got it for me after Utah...It was because he said I was so brave and did what some big soldiers couldn't do. See?" He sat down with her and showed her the medal that had a claw in the center and a red ribbon.

She smiled, wrapping her arms around him. "My big, strong, brave Ty-Ty..."

"I think you're braver than me, darlin'," he said, hugging her back.

"All right. We are both very brave, then," she sighed, smiling.

"You just want to relax for a bit?" he asked.

Rosa yawned, laying back against the pillows. "Si..." Tyson kept his arm around her and closed his eyes, inhaling the sweet scent she wore.

Meanwhile, down the hall, Jaden came into Alexis's room. "Babe, I'm home!" he called, laughing a little.

Alexis' room wasn't all that different from Violet and Annie's, though it was a bit larger since it had housed Alexis, Mindy and Jasmine. She laughed a little at Jaden's words. "I can see that, Jay."

"Whoa! I think this is bigger than four Slifer dorm rooms!" Jaden said, walking in. "Are we alone in here?"

She nodded. "Yeah, Jasmine and Mindy moved to another room to give us some privacy and extra space."

"Wow...How much space do we need?" he asked, setting down his things.

Alexis shrugged. "It's nicer to have it be just the two of us, though. Isn't it?" she asked.

"Yeah, of course...It'll just take some getting used to," he said.

She smiled. "You'll get used to it no time, Jay."

"Yeah...wow...One thing I'm going to get used to really quick is being with you."

Alexis walked over to him and kissed his cheek. "I'm still glad you're staying with me..."

"Yeah...Hey, I just got used to something else," he grinned.

"And what's that?" she asked.

"Us together and alone...I just hope you can get used to me and the duel spirits chatting as quick...Lex?" he asked suddenly.

"Yeah??"

"You sure you can't see duel spirits?" he asked.

"Well, I always thought I couldn't. But after seeing how Sy could...I've been trying to..."

Jaden sat down with her and began to rub her shoulders. "Just relax, babe...just relax...don't try so hard..."

Alexis sighed, taking a few deep breaths. "I think I see something, but...it's not very clear..."

Jaden could see the monster, but he just kept rubbing her shoulders gently. "Just let go...tell that part of your mind that says it isn't possible to be quiet."

Alexis took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment to do as he said. Alexis then opened them, and jumped back into Jaden's arms in shock. "Cy-Cyber Tutu?!" she asked, eyes wide.

"Hello, Alexis," Cyber Tutu said sweetly. "You can finally see me?"

"Hey, Tutu!" Jaden greeted happily.

Alexis was still in slight shock, her hazel brown eyes figuratively as wide as dinner plates. "Y-You're really there. I'm not imagining things..."

"I always was," the monster girl said happily. "See, babe? You always could see them, I'll bet...You just needed to relax..." Jaden said.

"Oh wow...Jay, this...this is amazing," she replied happily.

"Yeah...it is...And now we can share it...Oh, and if we have any trouble, Neos is a marriage counselor," Jaden grinned back.

Alexis blinked. "He...is...?" she asked, sweat-dropping. Somehow, she'd never thought about duel monsters having jobs and lives.

"Yeah...Avian and Burstinatrix had a fight and Neos broke it up."

"So...are you saying duel spirits can get married??" she asked, bewildered.

Jaden nodded. "Yeah. Sparkman has Sparkwoman. He thought she'd kill him after what happened with Blair..."

Alexis blinked and turned to Cyber Tutu. "So...are any of you in my deck married?"

Cyber Tutu shook her head. "No. I think Cyber Blader is dating, though...she keeps it secret. She doesn't let any of us know..."

"What about Cyber Angel Benten?"

Cyber Tutu blushed. "Well...I think she's interested in...the Magician of Black Chaos..."

"Say what?!" Jaden yelped.

"Isn't that one of Yugi's monsters?" Alexis asked.

"Yeah, but she likes him a lot. And he seems to like her..."

Alexis smiled. "Aww... how sweet."

"Yeah. I haven't found anybody that fits with me yet. It'll happen," Tutu said easily.

"I'd say you could try one of Sy's cute monsters, but I guess it would be hard dating a 'Roid."

"A little, Alexis, and they tend to pair up in their own species," Tutu explained.

"Like the dragons?" Jaden asked. Tutu nodded.

Suddenly, Alexis stifled a yawn. "Guess I'm a little tired," she mumbled. "And I guess a beast wouldn't date a warrior..."

"Depends on the type," Tutu explained. "Just rest up...we've all been worried about you, Alexis. Jaden, take care of her..."

"You've got it, Tutu!" he said as she faded out. "Just lay down babe...you're still fighting fatigue," he said, guiding her down on the bed.

She yawned again and nodded tiredly. "All right..."

Jaden held her in his arms. "Just relax...but this time, let yourself go to sleep..." Alexis did so, and was asleep within minutes. Jaden dozed off as well, smiling.

Syrus and Bastion, meanwhile, had also reached the suite they'd now be living in. "You think they're sleeping?" he asked.

"Perhaps," Bastion said, knocking on the door. Violet was awake.

The door swung open, and Violet practically tackled Bastion with her hug. "Hooray! You're back!!" she cheered happily.

"Hello, darling...Is Annie awake?" Bastion greeted.

"Uh...I'm not sure. She was asleep the last time I checked," she replied.

"Oh, thank you, love...Syrus...perhaps you should go in and check on her," Bastion suggested.

The blue-headed young man nodded. "Okay..." Syrus went into the room and then to Annie's bedroom, going to her bedside. "Annie? Are you awake??"

Annie had been lightly sleeping, clad in a soft white nightie, but when Sy came to her bed, she opened her eyes. "Hey, you..."

Syrus smiled. "Hi, Annie. Are you feeling any better?" he asked, sitting on the edge of her bed.

Annie smiled. "Now that you're here...yeah. How about you?"

"I'm doing great. Well, except for a slight headache. I was, uh, attacked by Bastion's laptop..."

"Attacked by Bastion's laptop? What happened? And come on up," she said, patting the bed gently. "I won't throw up this time..."

Syrus pulled his legs up onto the bed after he kicked off his shoes, sitting beside Annie. "Well, I didn't see all of it. I was heading over to the Rah dorms to help out, and heard a few yells. Apparently, Shirley bit Tyson's butt, and then Jay dropped his suitcase on Axel's foot. Axel jumped back into Jesse who was holding Bastion's laptop, and it went flying...into me," he explained.

"Oooh...Well, lay down with me then...Your headache might go away...Was Tyson okay? And why did Shirley bite him in the butt?"

He lay down beside her with a sigh. "Yeah, he's fine. If I remember right, it was because he had some beef jerky in his back pocket."

"That figures. Saltwater crocodiles eat just about anything," she said. "Shirley seems really well trained. Did you have any trouble moving stuff other than that?"

"No, the rest of the trip here went smoothly...oh! And Shirley wants to be the flower girl-er, crocodile for the big wedding."

"Flower crocodile?" Annie looked surprised and then smiled. "Oh, she'd look so cute coming down the aisle...I wonder what the other girls will think...I'd like it. We could have more than one flower person or animal, though, and I'm sure Violet will want Haylee in the wedding," she said and yawned. "Oh, sorry, Sy..."

He smiled. "It's okay, Annie. You can get some more sleep if you want. You need the rest to get better..."

"At this rate...I'll sleep the semester away...I'm so behind," she groaned softly.

Syrus placed an arm around her comfortingly. "The teachers understand, Annie. You're really smart, you'll be able to catch up..."

"What about you? You're smart, but you missed a lot of class...because of me," she sighed, hating that she'd been so weak.

"If I'm still behind, you can help me catch up. I'm sure you'd make a great tutor," he offered.

Annie blushed. "Oh, Sy..." She drew him into a deep kiss, as tired as she was. Syrus kissed back, but didn't go any further and they pulled away after a minute or so. Annie sank against him and drifted off to sleep again. "I love you," she whispered, and began to dream.

"I love you, too," he whispered, even though he knew she was asleep. Soon, Syrus joined her in the land of dreams.

Outside in the sitting room, Bastion looked around. "Violet, darling, you'll have to tell me where you'd like me to place everything. I have my laptop, various decks, clothing, equation notebook, toiletries...where would you like them?" he asked.

"The laptop can go on the coffee table, decks can go in the bedside table drawer, clothing can go in the closet, notebook can go on the desk, and toiletries can go in the bathroom," she explained simply. Violet walked into her… their… bedroom, and sat on her bed as she spoke, pointing at each spot she mentioned.

Bastion did as she asked. He took a look at how her room was decorated, noting the various alien monsters on the walls. "Oh, so you have Watapon and Kuriboh?" he asked, pointing at the framed posters.

Violet blushed a little. "Well, I just think they're a lot alike. I mean, they both are low-level monsters with special abilities. They're both cute. And they both have winged versions. Although, I don't know how many people have all four Watapons," she explained.

Bastion looked around. "Er...would they mind some company...if it wouldn't throw off the decor too much, that is?"

She blinked. "You have Duel Monsters posters, too?"

"Just one," he said, bringing in a framed poster. It was a poster of Water Dragon. "Water Dragon...do you mind?"

Violet gave him a look. "Bastion-baby, you do remember that's the monster you used to beat Taniya, right? I think I'm okay with it being in my room," she reminded him with a grin.

"Oh, yes," he answered. "I tried to forget some of that horrible night..." He shivered almost imperceptibly.

She noticed and walked over to him, hugging him tightly. "I've tried, too. But...unfortunately, that's been an ending note for my nightmare..."

"You mean...that's all you saw? Violet, a confession, if I may..."

Violet blinked in surprise. "What is it, Bastion-baby?"

"I've...been fighting nightmares as well," he admitted.

Her eyes widened. "Y-You have??"

He nodded. "They haven't been as bad, I suppose. They were at their worst while you were still in the hospital and when Kisara made me go home a couple of nights. They still come, but not as strongly. In my dreams...you were already...gone when I got there...I was too late..." He shook now as the tears came and he hugged her back tightly.

Violet froze for a moment in shock, but then quickly hugged him back. "Oh, Bastion-baby...in my nightmare, I.....I dreamt that you were killed by Taniya. That was the worst, seeing you die over and over again," she explained, tears brimming her own eyes.

"Did...I tell you...or did you hear that night what I planned to do if it were clear I would lose?" he asked, sitting with her on the bed.

She shook her head. "N-No, but...somehow, I knew. You'd d-die before you let her m-make you her slave...."

"I had Chumley make a card. All I had to do was say a single word...and it would've taken her with us...I wouldn't have let her win completely...and...I couldn't live knowing you were gone...I just couldn't, darling..."

"Bastion-baby, if it had been the other way around, and you're life was on the line.....there's no way I could have kept living. I couldn't deal with the pain again...."

"I'm so glad it didn't turn out that way, love...and we have our lives ahead of us now..." he said softly, cuddling her to him. "And...oh! Before I forget, Violet...first let's stretch out a bit...you'll still need the rest." They stretched out on the bed, and Bastion had her in his arms, resting against him. "There was an idea proposed for the wedding...I don't know how you'd feel about it..."

Violet was currently using his chest as a pillow, and glanced up at him. "And what's that?"

"Well...you know Jim Cook's crocodile, Shirley, don't you?"

She nodded. "It's pretty hard to not know her by now..."

"Well, darling...she was wondering if she could be a flower crocodile for the wedding. She offered us flowers..."

Violet blinked, then grinned, giggling a little. "Really? Well, that'd be interesting. But...can we have more than one flower girl since it's technically more than one wedding?" she asked.

"I don't see why not. Are you thinking about Haylee?" he asked.

She nodded. "I...kinda promised her that she could be the flower girl at our wedding."

"All right...I'm certain the others wouldn't object..."

Violet yawned, finding his chest extremely comfortable as always. "Yeah..."

Bastion reached and brushed her hair with his hand. "You can sleep. We have a few hours until dinner...I could probably sleep for a bit, myself..."

"Way...ahead of you," she mumbled, already half asleep. Bastion was grateful he'd already removed his blazer and his sneakers. Together they drifted off.

_So it's been a peaceful moving day for our couples. We know, we know; you're all wondering when Darkness is going to show up. Well, we're not going to tell you just yet. Next time, however, we're going to see what happens when the couples learn about each other's habits that they might not have learned about in the summer. So stay tuned for "The Not-So-Odd Couples!" See you soon! _


	7. The NotSoOdd Couples

Chapter VII: The Not-So-Odd Couples

_-__**Bastion and Violet come on stage and Bastion smiles**__- Hello, everyone. I'm Bastion Misawa. _

–_**Violet grins**__- And I'm Violet Haverbrook. Together, Bastion-baby and I are probably the strangest couple in this group. _

_-__**Bastion sighs**__- Now, I'm not certain about that, darling, since it's an absolute miracle that Jaden and Alexis are together. But they found each other as we did. Anyhow, Peach and 15animefreak15 chose us to do the introduction for this story today, so I suppose we'd better get down to business. Thank you very much, everyone for reading and reviewing. And we'd like to remind you that this timeline is different than the one you're used to._

–_**Violet interrupts, a tense look on her face-**__ Yeah! Bastion-baby didn't get abandoned because of the stupid writers! And everybody faced their problems instead of running away, turning emo, or going on a rampage! You don't solve stuff by running away, and that timeline I'm not involved in… Nobody really solved their problems, and they made them worse! I mean, come on! How the heck is running away from your friends solving your problems?_

_-__**Bastion sighs-**__ Well, in that other timeline, I certainly didn't solve matters well. Good lord, I ran around in my boxers or my birthday suit, depending on which version of…that incident you watched. –__**Violet's eyes turn to hearts, thinking of said incident, but Bastion continues- **__Anyhow, I didn't exactly solve my problems, and neither did my friends. So anyway, this is, again, a different sequence of events. We would like to suggest if you don't know this universe, please read the stories that preceded this one in the timeline. So onto the story._

_-__**Violet smiles, getting herself under control- **__Okay! Last time, Bastion-baby and Syrus moved into Annie's and my suite, while Jaden and Tyson moved into Alexis's suite and Rosa's room, respectively. And Alexis can see her duel spirits now! So what's going to happen now that we're living together? COMPLETE AND UTTER CHAOS!! WOOOO!!!_

_**-Bastion sighs- **__Well, maybe not that, but certainly…awkward situations. So onto the warning for this chapter. There is a make-out scene in this chapter, but nothing of which should push the envelope for the T rating. The authors might put a toe over the line… __**-Peach and 15animefreak15 stick their heads out from the curtain and nod- **__…But they won't be writing full-blown lemons anytime soon. So anyway, there is a make-out scene. Thank you for your attention. Violet, the disclaimer, if you would, please, love…_

_-__**Violet nods- **__Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. If they did, Bastion-baby wouldn't have stayed in the other world with Taniya and gotten dumped…again. And other events wouldn't have happened. Peach owns Annie and Rosa and I belong to 15animefreak15! Thanks! Now enjoy the chapter!_

It was a few days before Alexis, Violet, Rosa and Annie could resume their normal class schedules. Consequently the young men went to class and took care of their fiancées, while also getting opportunity to rest. While they all recovered, they began to learn about each other's habits in their rooms. Tyson and Rosa began by learning about each other's laundry habits. Now, Rosa may have been brought up around more guys than girls, but her mother had driven good laundry habits into every person in her household. So, Rosa's clean clothes were always neat and folded, and the dirty ones went straight to the hamper. Tyson, on the other hand, despite being raised by a mother and father who'd taught him how to be clean, had sunk into some bad habits...

On the third morning of their living together, Tyson had his socks and dirty underwear all over the floor. His clean shirts, socks and underwear were stuffed in drawers and anything not clean was on the floor. Rosa had been up for a few minutes now, and hadn't noticed the mess on her way to the bathroom. However, once refreshed and awake as she left the bathroom, her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "AY CARUMBA!!!" Rosa screeched, jaw dropping.

Tyson woke up at the screech. "Morning, darlin'...what's wrong?" he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

If Rosa hadn't been in such shock, she would have done what her mother did when such a thing happened. Luckily for Tyson, surprise was currently overcoming anger. "Th-The floor...it is a mess!"

"Uh...it is?" he asked, not fully thinking.

Tyson had just missed his chance to get out of this non-painfully, as the anger finally overcame the shock. Rosa stomped over to him in all her Spanish fury, and pulled Tyson up off the bed by his ear. Yes, that's what her mother's punishment had been. "Si! Look!!"

"OUCH!" he yelped. "Uh...oh, my!" he said, stunned at the mess on the floor.

Rosa was obviously not a happy camper at the mess as she released Tyson's ear from her death grip. "I'm going to take a shower. When I'm done, can I expect a clean floor?" she asked menacingly.

"Yes, ma'am!" he whimpered, saluting. He got to work fast.

Fifteen minutes later, Rosa left the bathroom in nothing but a towel. By now they were kind of used to seeing each other in less. "Ah, good. It is so nice to be able to see the floor again," she stated. Rosa smiled and gave Tyson a kiss on the cheek, in a much better mood.

"Sorry, darlin', about the mess...I guess I didn't think about it..."

"It's okay. I suppose I should have told you I did not like messes," Rosa replied, going to the dresser. However, her good mood was ruined an instant after opening the drawer. Tyson's clothes, which had been stuffed in it carelessly, sprung out like rubber bands and practically buried her. Oh, was he in for it now...

"Rosa...darlin'...I think I got in some bad habits," he apologized quickly.

She pulled a shirt off of her head and sighed in aggravation, giving him a swift punch to the head. "As soon as I get dressed, I'm teaching you how to fold your clothes," she growled.

"Okay," he agreed, not wanting to make her angrier. And so, about five minutes later, Rosa was back in the bedroom teaching Tyson how to properly fold his clothes. Needless to say, a picture of Tyson Schwarzkopf Hassleberry folding his clothes would have made great blackmail material.

Tyson blushed. "Rosa, I'm sorry...Mama raised me better than this," he said shamefacedly.

She sighed, leaning over for a moment to give him another kiss on the cheek. "Do not worry... I understand. You should be glad you did not do this around my mother, though..."

Tyson shivered, not wanting to contemplate Josephina Jimenez's temper. "Uh-oh..."

Rosa smirked. "It would have been much worse. Trust me. You can just ask my brothers...even my father," she replied.

"Whoa...I should've known," he said.

"Anyway, so long as it does not happen again, everything will be just fine," Rosa stated, a hint of warning in her voice.

"Okay...feel free to punish me, darlin', if I do it again," he said.

Meanwhile, down the hall, Jaden Yuki staggered into the bathroom. Alexis had been a little bit crabby yesterday, and Jaden wondered if it wasn't that time of the month when women seem to go homicidal. But he chose not to worry too much. As a matter of fact, it WAS that time of the month for poor Alexis. She didn't mean to be in such a bad mood, but it wasn't exactly a painless experience to go through. Alexis was currently brushing out her hair, having completely forgotten to hide her "feminine items". Hey, she wasn't use to having a guy around her room.

"Lex? Where's the toilet paper?" Jaden called from inside the bathroom.

She stifled a yawn before answering. "In the cabinet under the sink!"

He looked, found it and then found something else. "Maximum strength absorbency... Overnight protection with wings?" He pulled out one of the packages and realized in horror what they were. "AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!" he yelped in shock, having not found these things over the summer.

Alexis practically fell out of her chair at the yelp, quickly jumping to her feet. "Jaden! What's wrong?!" she called worriedly. Alexis didn't wait for an answer, and dashed to the bathroom. "Jay??"

Jaden was sitting on the floor, holding up the offending things, looking stunned. "Lex...uh..." His eyebrows twitched.

Alexis's face instantly went ten shades of red when she saw what he was holding, and she quickly snatched them away from him. "J-Jaden! What-?!" she stammered, shoving them back under the cabinet and closing it.

"S-sorry...I just wasn't...ready for that...I found the toilet paper, though," he concluded, lamely.

Alexis' blush had lessened significantly by this point, as she sighed. "It's not your fault, Jay. I should have put them somewhere else. I'm just...not used to having a guy staying in my room."

"It's all right...It just shocked me a little...but...I have to get used to it," he said, rubbing the back of his head with a smile. "I need to know what kind you like so I can go buy them when you need them..."

She smiled and hugged him. "Oh, you're so sweet..."

"Aw...Lex...I want to be a good husband...and that means going to the feminine care aisle at the store!" Jaden grinned, striking as heroic a pose as he could manage. One could practically hear heroic background music, which would've been promptly cut off.

Alexis couldn't help it; she cracked up and started laughing. "Jay, the way you said that-ha ha ha! And then the pose! Ha ha ha ha!!"

He started laughing, too, and then realized. "Uh, babe...I really have to go...you might want to step out..."

Alexis blinked, then sweat-dropped. "Oh, right. Sorry," she replied, quickly leaving the bathroom.

Up a couple of floors, the future Mr. and Mrs. Misawa and the future Mr. and Mrs. Truesdale were having incidents of their own. Since Annie was still too weak to do much, though she was getting stronger every day, she and Sy spent a lot of time alone in the suite while Bastion and Violet went back to class. And that meant Annie and Sy had a lot of time to relax, think about the future and do other things. "Sy?" Annie queried when they were sitting on the couch, looking at a wedding cake book she'd gotten from the school library.

"Yeah, Annie?" Syrus replied, turning to smile at her. He enjoyed all of this alone time they had together almost every day, no matter what they were doing.

"What do you think of this one?" she asked, pointing at a cake covered in lavender fondant. She touched his hand as she asked.

His smile grew a little when she touched his hand, and he held it. "I think it looks nice. But we should keep looking in case we see a better one..."

"Okay...what would you like for a cake?" she asked, feeling a little bit feisty.

"Something chocolate...and it has to be soft..." As he said this, he placed a soft kiss onto her equally soft cheek, also feeling a little feisty.

"What do you want...right now?" she asked, kissing back.

"Something sweet...know where I can get something like that?" Syrus asked back, placing an arm around her shoulders.

"Mmmhmmm..." She turned so she could give him a full, deep kiss. She pulled back for a second, seeing if this was exactly what he meant.

He smiled. "That was pretty sweet to me. Mind letting me have some more?" Syrus asked, leaning in to kiss her again. She nodded, smiling and the kiss was well-joined. She laid back on the couch so she kept her strength in her arms to hold him close. Syrus pulled her closer to him as the kiss became more passionate, each letting their tongues explore the other's mouth. Annie trembled a little bit against him in pleasure as they moved. It felt so right, and she loved every second especially since she knew there was a great deal more to come. He was enjoying this so much, and pulled away to catch his breath. She looked so beautiful with her cheeks flushed, eyes half-closed in pleasure. Syrus smiled and dove right back into the little make-out session, loving this just as much as she was.

Meanwhile, at the main building, Bastion had just stepped out of class and realized he didn't have his book for his physics class after lunch. "Violet, I have to run back to the dorm, darling..." he said as they headed to Dorothy's for lunch.

"All right! I'll see you at Dorothy's, okay? Oh, and I suggest knocking before going into the room. You never know, they might be in the middle of a make-out session," Violet replied, grinning and laughing a little.

Bastion smiled. "I'll knock, but I highly doubt they'll be up to that...I'll be right back," he said and jogged to Obelisk Blue. He took the elevator to the third floor and headed down the hall to the suite. He knocked and called, "Sy, Annie! I'm coming in!" When he didn't hear anything he figured it was safe to enter the room. 'Annie must be napping...' he thought, not hearing anything. And then... "OH BUGGER BUGGER BUGGER!" His face was flame red, seeing Sy and Annie having a very furious make-out session.

Syrus instantly pulled away, and was so shocked that he fell off the couch. The wedding cake book landed on his head with a loud thunk. "Ow…"

Annie got up fast, quickly straightening her pajamas. "Oh, Bastion! We didn't hear you! I'm sorry..."

"Er....oh...uh..." He was in such shock that he couldn't make a coherent sentence. "Sy, are you okay?" Annie asked, helping her fiancé up.

Sy winced, rubbing a fresh bump on his head as he sat on the couch. "Yeah...sorry, Bastion," he added, blushing a little at the fact Bastion had walked in on them.

"Uh...I'm sorry...I thought you were...doing...something...else...Oh, bugger..." Bastion groaned.

"Bastion...it's okay...are you okay?" Annie asked, noticing just how stunned he was.

Bastion nodded finally. "Yeah...I just came to get my physics book...Sorry..."

Syrus grinned a little sheepishly. "Don't worry about it, Bastion. It's partially our fault, too," he replied.

Annie blushed. "Sorry, Bastion..."

"Quite all right...I suppose we all get these moments..."

"Yeah...try walking in your parents," Annie said, turning deep red.

"That happened to you, too?" Syrus asked, also blushing.

"Yes," Annie groaned.

"Er...so did I," Bastion moaned softly.

"Looks like we've all had a moment like that," Sy grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah...So I'll get my books. Shall we all go to the pool this evening like we planned?" Bastion asked.

"I'm still up for it. What about you, Annie?" Syrus asked, turning to her.

Annie nodded. "It'll be good to get out of the room for a bit longer than an hour. Miss Fontaine wants to see if I can tolerate a bit more."

"Oh, that's good," Bastion said, smiling. "Well, I must get back to Violet. See you after bit, then!" He grabbed his book and left.

"Uh, should we maybe lock the door? Just to be safe??" Sy asked, sweat-dropping.

Annie smiled, looking a little bit naughty. "Well...we could take the stuff in our room and...work in there...And that door could be locked..."

Syrus smiled a little, too. "That's a good idea, Annie."

And so they did. Meanwhile, Bastion returned to Dorothy's, ready for lunch. "Sorry it took so long, darling!" he said, grateful Violet had picked up their lunch.

Violet smirked. "You walked in on them making out, didn't you?"she asked.

Bastion flushed. "I did knock and I called out, you know..."

She couldn't help but laugh a little. "I know, I know. At least you took my advice. Were they upset about it?"

"They were surprised, darling...but we found out we had...er...mutually embarrassing situations..."

"Such as?"

"Have you...ever...walked in on your parents...you know..."

"Making out?" Violet always had been rather blunt...

"Yeah...that..." Bastion's face was hot.

"More times than I can count," she answered simply.

"Well...it's just as awkward with your friends. Oh, we're still on tonight for the pool...Annie's eager for it as it may mean she gets back to class a little sooner."

"That's great! And going to the pool is always fun. I love swimming. Mom once said I was part fish," Violet answered and sweat-dropped.

Bastion merely chuckled. "Well, you certainly move gracefully through the water, love," he answered, eating his sandwich.

She laughed a little, taking a bite of her own sandwich. "And I'll try not to half-drown you this time, all right?"

"Fair enough," Bastion said.

Later that evening, the four couples met up at the pool and swam. "Oh, this feels so nice!" Annie said, reveling in the comfortably cool pool water against her skin.

"Look out! Here comes a cannonball!!" Violet shouted, running to the edge and then jumping in. Syrus, still not knowing how to swim, was staying in the shallow end of the pool. At the moment, he was glad he'd made this decision, seeing the large waves Violet's cannonball had made.

Jaden whooped. "CANNONBALL!" he shouted, jumping in too.

Then Bastion did as well. "Here I come!" he added.

"HOO-AH!!" Tyson shouted as well, splashing into the water.

"Hey, don't think I'm letting you guys have all the fun!" Alexis yelled, jumping in after them. "Valor de Matador!!" Rosa exclaimed, which means "courage of the matador", charging over to the pool edge and diving in. Even though he was in the shallow end, Syrus was sent back slightly by the large waves coming from the deep end.

Annie swam over by Sy. "You okay, honey?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. Sorry I can't swim with you in the deep end, Annie..."

"It's okay...Sy, it's all right...really...And you'll learn...do you know why you're so afraid of the water?" she asked.

"Well...when I was a little kid, we went to the beach. I went into the water, and a wave came and pulled me out too far. Dad came and saved me, but it really got me scared of deep water," he explained, frowning.

"Maybe...I could get us permission and we could come back here when it's quiet...we could try..."

Syrus blinked. "You mean...you'd try teaching me how to swim?" he asked. "I mean, Professor Banner sort of did, but it was to catch his dinner and I didn't go out very far at all. I'm still afraid of the water…"

"Yeah...if you wanted," she answered. "I'm...not great, but at least we could get you to not be so nervous...I was afraid of the water for a little bit, too..."

He smiled. "Really? Thanks, Annie...why were you scared of the water??"

Annie flushed. "Well...I had an attack in the water when I was eight. We didn't know what it was. It was a hot day and I got dizzy and fell into our pool. Bobby was outside and pulled me out quick. The doctor thought I'd just had too much sun. But I swallowed a lot of pool water, and it made me scared for a bit. It took a month to get me back in the pool again..."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that happening again," Syrus replied happily. Neither noticed Violet sneakily swimming up behind Annie, stretching out her arms to start tickling the innocent girl.

"VIOLET!" Annie shrieked, being rather sensitive when Violet made contact.

Syrus was so surprised that he jumped back, nearly going under but managing to catch himself. "H-Huh??" he stammered.

Violet surfaced, a broad grin on her face. "Gotcha, Annie!!"

Annie caught her breath and got to the edge of the pool. "Give me a sec, Violet...Oh, that was fun!"

"I used to do that to my brother all the time back home! No one ever sees me swimming up behind them until it's too late!!" the purple-haired girl explained happily.

"YAY!!!" Annie suddenly cheered in triumph.

Violet and Syrus both blinked a few times. "What??"

"I'm normal!" Annie smiled. "Violet, you couldn't have done that to me a short time ago..."

"Oh! Right! Well, glad I could help!!" she replied happily.

The rest of the group heard Annie's cheer and swam over. "Annie, is everything okay?" Jaden asked.

She told him and then looked at the whole group. "Hey, guys?"

"Yeah, Annie?" Alexis vouched for the group.

"Could you all help me with something? I want to help Sy get out in the deep end..."

Syrus' eyes widened a little. "Sure!" the other girls replied eagerly.

The guys looked at each other. "Sy...you want to try?" Jaden asked.

"I was the highest in my swim class," Bastion added.

"Yeah, me too!" Tyson grinned.

"I could out-swim both of you!" Violet exclaimed, smirking.

Syrus glanced from Annie to the others and back again. "Uh...I guess so..."

"Okay...Well, no big splashing yet, okay, guys? Sy just needs to be comfortable in the water," Annie pointed out to everyone.

"Don't worry, Annie. We understand," Alexis replied. And so the group worked to get Sy out into deeper water.

Annie pulled Sy out into the water where his toes couldn't touch the bottom without him going in over his head. "Sy, you okay?"

Syrus' heart was pounding, fear obvious in his expression. "I-I'm really n-nervous, Annie..."

"It's okay, Sy," Jaden called, paddling out a little farther. "You're okay! We're all here!" The blue-headed young man tried kicking his legs and moving his free arm to keep himself afloat, unused to being adrift.

"Sy...just relax...breathe deep," Annie soothed. "Now just lay back and let yourself float..." Syrus was nervous about such an idea, but decided he was safe since everyone was there. He leaned back until he was laying on the surface of the water, fidgeting fearfully. Annie moved so she could float with him. "I'm right here...just relax..." And then she took his hand. "It's all right..." He relaxed a little when she took his hand, and tried taking a few deep breaths.

And then another presence floated on Sy's other side, taking his hand. "It's all right, Sy," Jaden added. "I'm here, too..." Syrus tensed a little in surprise, but relaxed when he realized it was Jaden. He closed his eyes, hoping it would help him relax more. In fact, with Syrus's eyes closed, it felt like he was floating on air instead of water.

Soon the whole group was floating in one long chain. "See, Private Truesdale? It's okay!" Tyson called from his position. Sy opened his eyes again and smiled a little. He had to admit that it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

"This is rather relaxing," Bastion commented.

"What?? I can't hear you! Too much water in my ears!!" Violet yelled, seeing Bastion's mouth move.

Bastion was grateful he and Violet were at one end of the chain. He and Violet broke away to the end of the pool and got up on the edge. "Darling, I said that it's very relaxing..."

She shook her head slightly, hitting it on each side. Quite a bit of water poured out and she blinked at Bastion's words. "I guess you're right. Would help if I had ear plugs, though."

"You forgot them...again?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Violet sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly. "Yeah...I always seem to do that, don't I?"

"Well...I forget things too...Remember this morning and the toilet seat?" he asked, flushing slightly.

Oh yeah. She remembered, all right. Hard to forget nearly falling in the toilet. "Yup. Thank God for the bathroom counter."

"I guess we all forget something," he admitted.

Meanwhile, Tyson and Rosa let go of the chain as well, swimming away and getting out of the pool. "That was nice, Spanish Rose," Tyson said, smiling and loving how Rosa looked in her bright red swimsuit.

She nodded. "Si. Very relaxing..." Rosa loved seeing Tyson shirtless, when all of his muscles could be seen. He even had his bandanna off, which made her even happier.

He noticed her smile and said, "Can't have the headgear on in the pool...You gettin' hungry?" he asked.

"Si. Swimming does make one hungry after a while, "she replied.

"Okay...let's get cleaned up and head back," he said and they headed to the locker rooms. Jaden, Alexis, Bastion and Violet did the same, while Sy and Annie continued to float.

"I think we're alone now," Annie murmured as she and Syrus drifted.

"Annie...thanks for helping me," he replied, smiling.

"No problem, honey...it's only fair that I help you too...you helped me not be scared in surgery. And that's what you do when you're married. You help each other. And...um," she said, blushing and stopped.

Syrus blinked, glancing at her. "And..?"

"This is going to sound weird..."

He squeezed her hand a little. "It's okay, Annie. You can tell me..."

"Well...I think we're already pretty much married, even without the piece of paper that says we are..."

Syrus blushed a little. "You know....I was kind of....thinking the same thing. I mean, it feels like we are..."

"Yeah...we've already been through so much...and we stayed together. And we're committed to each other for better or worse..."

He nodded, smiling. "Hey, Annie..."

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Can we get out of the pool now? I'm getting really wrinkly," he asked, grinning sheepishly.

'Not what I was expecting him to say,' Annie thought. "Sure...I think I'm getting a little wrinkly, too..." 'Think unsexy thoughts!' she commanded herself.

Syrus was telling himself the same thing as they got out and headed towards the locker rooms. "I think I'm gonna shower off..."

Annie nodded. "So am I. I think I may do that again when we get back to the dorm after dinner..."

Everyone was in the locker rooms changing, and Violet had gone to use the bathroom. What Syrus didn't know was that Violet had also decided to use the showers to wash off, which was where he was now headed. Unfortunately for Syrus, he misread the signs for the shower rooms and went into the girls' showers. He was surprised to hear one running, having seen all the guys in the locker room. "Hey, anyone else in here?" he called.

Violet, in the midst of daydreaming, didn't even hear Syrus. Syrus guessed someone had left a shower on and shrugged, going into the shower room. However, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he saw Violet with her back to him. "V-V-VIOLET?!?!" he yelped. This time he was loud enough for Violet to hear him, and she turned. Instantly, her face went ten shades of red, and her feminine instincts kicked-in. Violet screamed and grabbed the soap, throwing it at him. Somehow, Syrus managed to run out of the shower room, random objects being hurled after him.

Annie, having heard her best friend scream and throw things came running into the bathroom. "Violet?! What...WHOA!!!" She slipped on the wet floor and crashed into the wall.

Violet blinked a few times, heart still pounding from shock. "An-Annie? You okay??" she asked worriedly.

Annie sat up, tried to get to her feet and couldn't get up. "Ouch...I think I twisted my ankle...but I was about to ask you the same question...What's wrong?"

Violet's blush had died down, but was still prominent on her face. "You may not believe this, but...Sy walked in on me!"

"How...how did that happen?" Annie asked, trying to stand, but her foot just hurt too much, so she stayed sitting.

Violet quickly turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around herself, going over to Annie. "I don't know. But he surprised me and I screamed...and threw things at him," she replied, helping Annie up.

"Threw things? Ouch..." Annie winced as she and Violet hopped to the locker room bench.

"Well, it was an instinct sort of thing. Or maybe I've just seen it happen in the movies one too many times..."

"Oh, he must've not looked carefully at the sign again," the dark-haired girl sighed.

Meanwhile, Sy staggered into the boys' locker room, stunned. "Sy? You okay, bro?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah, Private Truesdale, you look like you saw a really bad mess hall," Tyson added.

"Syrus...are you quite all right?" Bastion wondered.

Syrus sat down on a bench, trying to shake the shock from his mind. There was a large bump on his head where the bar of soap had hit him, and he tried to regain his voice. "Oh, Bastion, you're gonna hate me for this," he moaned.

"What happened?" Bastion asked.

"I, well, uh...misread the signs for the shower rooms," he began nervously.

"So..? What happened?" Bastion asked again as the other guys looked at him, puzzled.

"Um, Bastion....V-Violet was in the shower," Syrus mumbled, face going red.

Then Bastion realized. "Oh...oh my...you...er...saw her...in the...all-together?"

Sy's blush intensified, but he managed a nod. "J-Just the back, though.....she kind of threw soap at me after that...."

"Oh, all right, then...you weren't trying to cop a look now, were you?" Bastion asked, giving Sy a stern look.

Syrus tensed at the look, worried of what Bastion would do. "No, of course not! It was an accident, really!!"

Then Bastion laughed. "That was a test! I know! The only one you'd like to look at is Annie..."

The small Obelisk let out a sigh of relief, finally feeling the pain in his head. "Ow...and Violet has a good throwing arm, Bastion..."

Jaden grinned. "Yeah, she does. I remember that time we were passing the ball up near the tree..."

"Yeah, Sarge?" Tyson asked.

"Yeah...I got a black eye...Dr. Crowler called me a Cyclops!" Jaden grinned, chuckling at the memory.

"Well, he went through the same thing, remember? When Bastion hit the baseball and gave him a black eye," Syrus replied.

"And when he got hit by Harrington's tennis ball," Jaden added.

"And then punished you for it," Sy added

"Well, I did call him a Cyclops," Jaden admitted.

"Still, he should've taken that with better humor," Bastion said.

"But then I never would've dueled for Lex..."

"Point taken," Bastion grinned. "Perhaps I'd better see if Violet's all right...I bet you scared her silly..."

"Well, she did scream. And like I said, throw things," Syrus sighed.

"Hang on..." Bastion, already cleaned up and dressed comfortably, stepped out of the boys' showering area and headed to the girls' door. "Violet?" he called. "Darling, are you all right?" He heard whimpering. "Violet?!"

Violet heard Bastion, and blinked in surprise. "Bastion-baby? I'm fine! But Annie twisted her ankle!!" she called back.

"Shall I run and get Miss Fontaine?"

"That'd probably be a good idea! Oh, and tell Sy I'm sorry for throwing soap at him!!"

"I will," Bastion called back. He headed back to the boys' room where the other three were getting their clothes back on. "Syrus...Violet's sorry she hit you with the soap and Annie is going to require your help..."

Syrus' eyes widened. "What? What happened?!" he asked.

"Apparently, Annie slipped and may have twisted her ankle. I'm going to get Miss Fontaine..."

Sy quickly stood, worry obvious in his expression. "She's hurt?! You think it would be okay if I go make sure she's all right?"

"Follow me," Bastion said.

Meanwhile, Jaden looked at Tyson. "Man, that sucks..."

"That's a ten-four, Sarge..."

_Yup… another injury… Compared to what the gang faced over the summer and into the early fall, an injured ankle should be a minor thing. So anyway, next time, please join us for "Accidental Amorousness!" Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you again, everyone!_


	8. Accidental Amorousness

Chapter VIII: Accidental Amorousness

_Hello again, true GX believers! We're glad to see you back again, and yes, we are trying to speed up our updates! So we hope you're glad about that! Anyway, we're also glad you're still reviewing and, for the most part, enjoying our tales. We're glad for all of our readers and reviewers! Now, before we move onto the recap, we'd like to address the issue of the girls' passivity in the early chapters of this tale. We agree that ordinarily, they wouldn't have been so weak, but they had, early on in this story, reached a limit of what they could take emotionally and physically. They had tried to be strong by not letting their fiancés know that something was terribly wrong, and that strategy figuratively blew up in their faces._

_Fortunately, that passivity they experienced was only temporary. It was not intended as a statement of stereotypical weakness but as just where they were at that particular moment in time physically and mentally. The girls may not ordinarily scare easily, but everything they went through had a cumulative effect. What we often don't see onscreen in an anime or a lot of shows is the aftermath of a traumatic event. We don't see if our heroes had problems dealing, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. _

_Finally, we can have disagreements, everyone, and events are open to interpretation. It often happens in fan bases that there are rather passionate disagreements. For example, last chapter, Violet and Bastion asserted that Taniya dumped him again because his silhouette was seen in Season 4, which led to the thought that he might've been dumped…again. You are free to disagree, of course. And now, the next chapter._

_Last time, the couples learned a bit more about each other, including housekeeping skills. Tyson's military training in neatness had to be resurrected, Bastion had to remember to leave something in the down position, Sy and Annie had to learn to time making out better and Jaden made a bold declaration about what he's willing to do for Alexis. The gang went to the pool and then… there was yet another mishap. So what will happen next? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: **__-Chazz steps out on stage- __**The Chazz is here to tell you that no, Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. If they did, things would be different… They do own Annie, Violet, Rosa, their families and anybody we haven't seen on screen. Thanks!**_

_**Important note to our loyal fans: **__In the interest of being fair to everyone, we have chosen to bring the rating up to M. While we will not have lemons, we will be having some intense make-out scenes, including in the shower. Yes… there will be shower scenes... Thank you for your attention._

Syrus followed Bastion to the door of the girls' locker rooms and knocked. "Violet? Annie? Can I come in?? I'm sorry I walked in on you, Violet!" he called. Annie had taken a bad fall and hurt her ankle and now Sy wanted to help his fiancée however he could.

"It's okay, Sy! Annie, you want him to come in?" she asked.

"Yeah...please...Sy," Annie called, trying to keep her voice level. Her ankle was really hurting now.

The small Obelisk went into the locker room, blushing a little when he saw that Violet was only in a towel. However, Syrus quickly recovered and walked over to sit beside Annie. "Annie, what happened?"

"I ran when Violet screamed and I slipped on the floor and crashed into the wall...I hurt my ankle," she whimpered, crying a little.

Syrus groaned, taking her hand. "Then it's my fault. If only I'd read the signs more carefully..."he replied, frowning. Syrus hated seeing his love in pain again.

"No...Sy, don't..." Annie pleaded, hating that he was upset. "I could've walked into the guys' locker room..." She moved so she could hug him, gritting her teeth against the pain.

He hugged her back. "I'm sorry, Annie. I just hate seeing you like this..."

"It's...all right..." she said, keeping her teeth set. "It'll be okay... After what we've been through...this is nothing...Hey, Violet? I'm all right with Sy here...You'd better get dressed..."

Violet nodded. "All right. Just call if you two need me," she replied as she went to the other side of the locker room.

"Thanks, Violet!" Annie said. "Hey, Sy? I'll have to soak in the tub..."

He smiled. "You want me to be there with you and help?"

"Yeah...I would," Annie smiled back. "Hey, Violet?" she called.

"Yeah?" she called back from the lockers.

"Aren't you and Bastion going out to dinner tonight?"

Violet blushed a little. "Yeah! What about it?"

"Just checking...Sy's going to be taking care of me tonight..."

The purple-headed young woman grinned. "Oh, I see! You two have fun, then!!" she grinned. Syrus blushed.

Annie looked at Sy. "That didn't come out right, did it?" she asked, blushing. "Or...did it?"

Violet, now clothed, walked back over to them. "I know you didn't mean anything bad, Annie. I was just joking," she stated.

Annie and Sy exchanged embarrassed glances, and were grateful when Miss Fontaine showed up. "Oh, dear...Annie, your ankle's swollen...you slipped?"

Annie nodded and her breath hitched in her throat when the teacher/nurse touched her foot. "Ouch ouch ouch!" she yelped, turning pale.

"It's a....long story, Miss Fontaine," Violet replied, grinning sheepishly and glancing at Syrus.

"Bastion filled me in, and Syrus, it's no big deal...it was an accident," Miss Fontaine soothed, checking as carefully as she could.

"I know. I just wish it hadn't led to Annie getting hurt," Sy groaned.

"Sy, it could've happened anyway...Ouch!" Annie said, exclaiming when Miss Fontaine touched another spot.

"Oh, Annie...I'll have to do an X-ray tomorrow morning. I'm a little concerned about this foot. Now, I want you to relax and keep your foot elevated. Alternate heat and cold and I'll give you some medication so you can relax and go to sleep, okay?" the nurse/ teacher said gently.

"Yes, Miss Fontaine," Annie answered. "Sy'll take care of me tonight."

"I wouldn't expect anything different from your future husband," the older woman grinned.

Syrus blushed a little. "I would have helped Annie even if we were still just dating...or even just friends," he replied. Annie blushed.

"You couldn't have had these arrangements, though," the teacher pointed out.

"Yeah...we couldn't have been in the same dorm all night," Annie added, "unless it was the infirmary..."

"I guess you're right. I'm glad we can be in the same dorm, though," Sy answered, smiling.

"Yeah," Annie said, managing a smile through the pain.

"Okay, have you two had dinner yet?" Miss Fontaine asked.

"No we haven't," Annie answered.

"All right. We'll have something brought up to you and then, Annie, you should take a bath and soak your foot. Sy, can you help her?"

Syrus nodded. "Yeah, I can help her."

"Okay...Bastion, bring in the wheelchair, will you?" the nurse called.

"All right, Miss Fontaine..." Bastion came in with the wheelchair and the small group helped Annie into the chair.

"All right, Annie, I'll set you up with an ice pack," Miss Fontaine smiled. Annie nodded, swallowing. Her foot hurt like crazy and she was trying to be tough.

Syrus put a hand on her shoulder, sending her a comforting smile. "It's okay, Annie. I know it hurts...you don't have to be tough..."

Annie was a little bit pale by the time Miss Fontaine, Bastion, Violet and Sy got her to the dorm room. "Syrus...we'll be back later and my mobile phone is on," Bastion said.

"Yeah, just call if you two need anything." Violet added.

Syrus nodded. "Thanks guys. We will if we need to," he replied.

"All right...Sy, you have my extension and my cell, right?" Miss Fontaine added.

"Yeah. I have both numbers, Miss Fontaine."

"Okay..."

And then a Ra student came up with a hotel-style cart. "Professor Sartyr sent this up," he said simply.

"Oh, thank you...and tell him we both said thanks," Annie said, smiling. "And tell him I'll make him something later!"

"All right, Annie," the Ra boy said easily and left.

"Enjoy your evening alone," Bastion grinned when Miss Fontaine left.

"Yeah, and don't forget to lock the bedroom door, just in case!" Violet added with a wink, sending a smirk Bastion's way. Syrus blushed fiercely.

Annie blushed too. "Violet...She's just teasing," Bastion said unnecessarily.

Annie nodded, a bit embarrassed. "I know..."

"Or am I?" Violet smirked, sticking out her tongue. Syrus sometimes had to stop and wonder if the purple-headed girl sometimes wasn't.

"Violet...Go make out with Bastion," Annie sputtered in frustration and embarrassment, causing the brilliant Ra to go red.

Violet blushed lightly as well, but still held her mischievous grin. "Will do, Annie! And you enjoy your special bath time with Sy!!" she replied, pulling Bastion away by the wrist.

"Goodbye, you two," Bastion called as the door shut.

And Sy and Annie were alone again. "So...want to eat dinner first?" she asked.

"That might be a good idea. So that it doesn't get cold," Syrus replied, nodding. And so they sat down to a full prime rib dinner with mashed garlic potatoes, fresh steamed vegetables and freshly baked rolls with honey butter.

"Oh, my...this is incredible," Annie said as they sat on the couch eating.

"I know...I didn't think Professor Sartyr would make this much. But it's really good," he added, grinning.

"Yeah...gosh, I've already gained back four pounds!" she said happily.

"That's great, Annie! I'm so glad you're getting better..." Syrus leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Annie smiled. "Yeah, thanks to you..."

He smiled back. "Not just me. Our friends helped. And you helped to make yourself better, too."

"What did I do? You guys all kept me together and you most of all, Sy," she answered, sobering.

"Annie, you wanted to get better. And you knew that what you'd tried doing was wrong. Those two things helped lead to you getting better," he explained, hoping she would understand.

"The first I understand...but what about the second part?" she asked, genuinely puzzled as she held a forkful of mashed potato to her lips.

"Well, if you didn't know that what you tried doing was wrong, wouldn't you have tried doing it again?"

"Well...what did I try doing that was wrong?" Annie was confused and then it hit her. "Were you worried when I lost my appetite?" she asked.

Syrus glanced at the floor. "Yeah..."

Annie looked at him. "Did you think I...wasn't eating because I'd given up?" she asked seriously. "Sy, tell me...please?"

He sighed and nodded slightly. "I...just wasn't entirely sure, Annie..."

"Oh, Sy," Annie whispered, moving to hug him and then whimpering slightly when her ankle hurt her. Tears came to her eyes from pain both physical and mental.

Syrus moved so that he could pull her into the hug, rubbing her back soothingly. "It's okay, Annie..."

"I'm sorry, Sy...oh...I'm sorry for everything," she said softly.

"Don't worry, Annie. You don't need to apologize for anything...really," he replied quietly.

"I...scared you...I didn't mean to...I just...couldn't bring myself to eat much..."

"Annie, what matters is that you're okay now. You're better, and we don't have to worry anymore..."

Annie just hugged against him. "Yeah...you have no idea just how much I love you..."

"I was just about to say the same thing to you..." Syrus held her close.

"Sy...oh, look! He even sent dessert!" Annie had started to say one thing and noticed another thing. "A molten chocolate cake for two...I love these..."

"I've never had one before," the bespectacled young man said, eyeing the confection.

Annie smiled, moving back a bit and picking up the plate with two spoons. "You'll see why it's so good...we need to take our first bite at the same time..."

Syrus blinked, taking a spoon. "Uh, okay..."

Annie took her spoon, setting the plate down so they could get to the cake quickly. They eat got a bite with the cake and the fudgy warm filling in the middle. "I love the soft fudge center," she said, closing her eyes in bliss.

He grinned. "Wow...this is great, Annie!"

"Yeah..." They ate for a bit and then were very full. "Oh, that was great," Annie said. "Sy, you've got some chocolate on your lip..."

Syrus, fueled by the good meal and chocolate, grinned. "Mind getting it for me, Annie?" he asked slyly.

"You read my mind," Annie smiled and drew his lower lip into her mouth so she was sucking it. He had a little chocolate on his lower lip so it was a perfect opportunity to try what she'd seen in a movie. Unable to kiss the normal way, Syrus turned her head to give her a sort of angled kiss. Somehow, it worked. Annie pulled away and then kissed him in the normal way. As usual, the kiss became stronger and more exploratory.

However, Syrus pulled away. "You know, we'll have plenty of time for this after your bath. If you wanted to get more comfortable..."

Annie nodded. "Yeah...my ankle is hurting like crazy...I need to relax it..."

He stood, holding out his hand for her to take. "Well, I'll help you to the bathroom and with your bath..."

"Thanks, honey," Annie said. Her foot was so swollen and painful now; she couldn't put weight on it. "I'm going to have to crawl..."

Syrus bit his bottom lip nervously. "Uh, Annie? Could I...try something??" he asked.

Annie looked up at her love in surprise. "Yeah, of course..."

He reached down, hesitating for a moment before wrapping his arms under her. "All right, hang on..." Syrus somehow managed to lift Annie into his arms, legs shaking a little as he regained his balance with the new weight.

Annie blushed and smiled. "Oh, my! Syrus...you're holding me...I thought you'd been working out...Wow...you must be able to bench press more than your body weight now..."

"Uh, y-yeah...." Syrus put on a weak smile as he slowly carried her into their now-shared bedroom. He kept telling himself over and over in his head not to drop her, until he finally set her down on the bed. "All right, let's get you undressed..."

Annie nodded. "Okay..." She shivered, aching from the very painful ankle. "I hope this isn't broken..."

"If it is, I'll help you until it gets better," Sy replied, helping her get her shirt off. It was a bit harder when he got her pants off because he accidentally bumped her injured right ankle. "Ouch, ouch, ouch!!"

Syrus grimaced, feeling guilty. "Sorry, Annie! Are you okay?"

Her eyes were closed and she was gripping the blanket on the bed. "Give me a sec...this isn't your fault," she groaned.

"All right."

Annie took a few more deep breaths and then regained her color. "I'm okay...All right... let's keep on... I want that bath..."

Syrus nodded. "Okay," he replied, helping her finish getting undressed. "I'll go start the bath, okay?"

Annie nodded. "Okay..." She lay down on the bed and let Sy go.

He went to the bathroom and turned on the bath, making sure it wasn't too hot. "Annie, did you want anything in the bath?"

"There are some Epsom salts. Put four cups of those into the water and then add a cup of those lavender bath salts to the water, okay?" she called, eyes still closed as the pain faded.

"Okay!" he called back. Syrus did as she explained, and then the bathtub was filled. He went back into the bedroom and let out a breath. "Okay. Ready to get carried again?"

Annie nodded. "Yeah...Sy, you're amazing...my man of mystery..."

Syrus blushed, grinning sheepishly. "I'm not all that amazing, Annie...let alone mysterious..."

"To me, you are," she said softly, blushing as well.

He smiled, and then managed to pick her up once again. 'Come on, Syrus! You can do this!!' he thought. Syrus carried her into the bathroom, and somehow was able to set her gently into the tub.

Annie was amazed at how gentle and how strong the young man she'd chosen to be her husband was. 'How anyone could ever have thought him weak...I don't understand that at all,' she mused. "Sy?"

Syrus was now sitting on his knees beside the bathtub, and blinked. "Yeah, Annie?"

"Do you remember our first class together?" she asked softly, the love shining in her eyes.

"Uh, it was Dr. Crowler's, right?"

"Mmmhmm," she confirmed. "I think I knew at that very moment..."

"Knew...what?"

"That...you and I were going to be something..."

He smiled. "I...wasn't really sure back then. I mean, no girl had ever really liked me before..."

"I've always been surprised at that...you are so sweet and gentle...and strong at the same time," she smiled back.

"Well, I'm glad you were the first, Annie..."

"You are my first as well...and my only...you're the only one I want to be with..."

"I feel the exact same way...there's no one else I'd rather be married to..." He was close enough that she could kiss him and she did. He returned the kiss whole-heartedly, but didn't get too passionate yet.

Annie sensed this and wisely pulled back. "So we have our ideas for the wedding...what about...the rest of our life together?"

Syrus blushed a little. "I never thought about that..."

"Well...let's start with...kids...How many do we want?"

The question only made his blush increase, and he fell onto his back. "H-How many??"

Annie looked at him, worried. "D-do you want kids?" she stammered.

Syrus had never even thought about the question. "I-I don't know...I mean, it's just, uh..."

"Well..." Annie eased back in the tub. "Sy...I want to be a mom..." She looked at the water rather than at him for a minute.

"I know, Annie. It's just...hard to think about it...you know? I'm not sure about any of it...I wish this wasn't so hard to think about," he muttered, sighing.

"Sy...I know it's a lot to deal with, but...we can't just think about the wedding and not how it'll be after that," she said gently. "We can figure out about kids later."

He sighed. "I know...I just...there are so many options..."

"Well...what do you want to do?" she asked.

"Well, I want to work as a pro duelist. I don't mind where we live...and I guess I want kids, too..."

"Okay...well...I'd be okay with staying in Domino. That's a central location for pro duelists and..." she trailed off.

He blinked. "And...?"

"And...it doesn't matter about me...I won't be going to medical school," she said softly.

Syrus frowned. "Annie, what makes you think that??"

She swallowed. "Dr. Benson told me that I needed to take it easy for the next few years just to make sure I'm completely okay, so that means...medical school is out. He doesn't want me to get overstressed."

He reached into the water to take her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Maybe, in a few years, you can still study medicine. If I become famous enough, I could take a break from the pro leagues like Zane had..."

"Yeah...Zane got back to the pros without a problem and he's at the top now...He'll have to look out for you and the guys...Sy, I made a promise to myself this last summer. And I think God agreed with what I wanted. I asked Him to let me live and if He let me, I'd be content if I was just your wife and the mother of your kids. If I end up being a nurse, I'll be happy, too..."

Syrus smiled. "So, I'd say we figured out a lot of what we plan to do after the wedding, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, we did. Ah...this feels so good," she murmured, breathing in the lavender scent.

"Does it make your ankle feel any better?" he asked.

"Yeah, it does. It's sore but it doesn't feel so bad now..."

"That's good. Just tell me when you're ready to get out..."

"Okay..." She sat in there for another 5 minutes and then decided she was ready to get out. "I think I need to get out now and get an ice pack on my ankle..."

"Okay." Syrus helped her out of the bathtub, then helped her dry off with a towel. When it was wrapped around her, he picked her up again. By now, Syrus was more used to her added weight, and was able to carry her back to the bed without shaking so much.

"Thank you, honey," Annie said as he laid her down on the bed.

He smiled. "I'm glad that I can help you, Annie. Do you have any ice packs here?"

"In the freezer in the kitchenette. Violet and I always keep a few on hand..."

"Okay. Should I get the ice pack first or help you into your pajamas?"

Annie smiled. "I'd like the ice pack, first, please."

Syrus nodded. "All right." He went to the small kitchen area and got an ice pack out of the freezer, going back to the bedroom and handing it to her. "Is it cold enough?"

Annie nodded, shivering at the contact with the cold pack. "That's good...now I need my pajamas..."

"Do you have a specific pair in mind?" he asked.

She frowned a moment. And then she reached a decision. "Sy, go in my top drawer. There's a nightgown I want to wear. It's a white cotton one with no sleeves."

Syrus nodded. "Okay." He went into the drawer, did some digging, and finally pulled out the requested nightgown. Syrus then blushed. "Uh, Annie? Which drawer is your, um, underwear drawer?" he asked nervously, having a brief lapse in memory.

"Middle drawer," she said softly. Sy opened the drawer, grabbed a pair, and closed it again in under five seconds. He handed her the clothes, and started to help her get them on.

She smiled as he got her panties on and then her nightgown, which had a little pale pink bow at the curve of the neck. "Do you like this nightie?" she asked as he straightened it.

Syrus smiled. "Yeah, it looks nice on you, Annie."

"Thanks...I'll probably spend the rest of the evening lying down with my leg propped up," she sighed.

"I'll get changed and then lie down with you. Sound good?"

Annie nodded. "Okay..." Syrus grabbed a pair of navy blue pajamas from the closet and quickly changed, tossing his dirty clothes into the laundry hamper. He then climbed onto the bed, lying beside Annie. Her right leg was propped up on some pillows and she had the ice pack resting on her foot and ankle. "Hey you..."

"Are you comfortable, Annie?"

She nodded. "A lot more since you came in here..."

He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her as close as he could without upsetting her foot. "Glad I could make you feel more comfortable..." And then she kissed him gently. He kissed her back, deepening it a little. She put her arms around him and gently guided him into a more intimate kiss as they'd been doing and he placed his arms around her. Annie pulled away slightly and moved down to his neck. Syrus shivered as her lips touched the soft flesh of his neck, eyes half-closed.

She moved back up again and started nibbling on his earlobe. "Like that?" she whispered softly.

"Y-Yeah," he whispered back. She kept doing it and then moved back to kissing him deeply. Soon, the deep kiss turned intimate, as he rubbed her back like he always did during these sessions. She rubbed his back as well, drawing him as deeply as she could, pressing against him. And then, Annie tried to turn a little more...and broke away, crying out in pain as her ankle protested. Syrus snapped out of his daze, quickly moving to readjust the ice pack and pillows holding up her foot. "Are you okay, Annie??" he asked worriedly.

"I moved wrong," she moaned softly as he helped her. "And just when..." she trailed off.

"It was getting good?" Syrus offered, smiling a little.

"Yeah..." Annie said. Her face was pale from the pain and sweaty from their make out session.

"Hang on, I'll be right back," he stated. Syrus slid off the bed and went to bathroom, wetting a washcloth with some cool water. He then came back and sat on the bed, dabbing at her face in the spot the sweat had gathered.

"Thanks, Sy," Annie sighed. "Oh...this sucks..."

"It's okay, Annie. We'll have plenty of time for that sort of thing...."

"Yeah...question," she said as he daubed and made her comfortable.

"Yeah?"

"How far would we have gone tonight?"

Syrus stopped for a moment, considering the question. "I...I don't know, Annie..."

Annie blushed. "Just checking..." There was a part of her that really wouldn't have minded if it had gone a bit further, but another part of her knew that it wasn't a good idea, especially since they were still in school.

"I still feel bad about what I did...I deserve this bump," he replied. The bump on the back of his head had grown slightly, but was hard to see under his thick hair.

"Sy...it was an accident. If it wasn't, Bastion would've killed you..."

Syrus tensed, eyes wide. "Hypothetically speaking, you really think he would?" he asked fearfully.

Annie thought carefully. "Not really...I'd have talked him down...besides, I know you're not interested in Violet..."

He shook his head. "She's too wild. I don't know how Bastion can handle her. I wouldn't last a week..."

Annie looked up at Sy thoughtfully. "Do you know why she and I are such close friends?"

Syrus thought for a few moments before answering. "No, actually...you two seem like opposites, now that I think about it..."

Annie smiled. "We needed each other. She needed me and I needed her. We each had something the other one lacked, and I love her for just being her."

"So...maybe the 'opposites attract' thing works on friendships, too?" he asked.

"Yeah, it does...think about how you and Jaden are. You're best friends and you seem to be polar opposites..."

Syrus smiled. "I guess you're right..."

Annie smiled back. "Bastion doesn't seem like the wild type, does he?"

He blinked. "No. I think he'd be the last person to act like that..."

Annie's smile changed into a grin. "People thought that about me, too. But...I feel different when I'm with you..."

Syrus also grinned. "I feel different with you, too, Annie..."

"I think Bastion feels like that with Violet. He lets his fun side out more...remember when he and Violet did 'the Routine' to cheer Zane up?"

He couldn't help but laugh a little at the memory; everyone had had sore sides after that. "Yeah, I remember. I was so shocked; I never thought I'd see Bastion dance at all. Let alone like that..."

"Yeah," Annie giggled, "and we were all rather stunned when you guys went streaking. Glad you found that bush to hide in..."

Syrus blushed. "I'm still wondering how they managed to convince me to do it with them..."

"Easy...you wanted Zane to feel better and if that meant you ran through the grounds in your birthday suit, you'd do it..."

"Yeah...I guess you're right...hey, do you know Violet, Alexis, and Rosa saw them like you saw me? I kind of hid in the bushes before we ran too much..."

Annie giggled. "Rosa was in shock, Alexis was impressed and Violet might've joined them, I think. She was cheering them on!"

Syrus blinked. "Really? I mean, I know it's Violet we're talking about and all. But you think she would have joined them??"

Annie thought carefully. "I...don't know...she might've...or had us girls do it...Back then I wouldn't have done it..."

He smirked. "But you'd do it now?"

She looked at him. "Well, not outside...but I'd streak for you..."

Syrus blushed a little. "Maybe...we could save that for our honeymoon?"

Annie nodded. "Yeah...that's probably a good idea..." She shifted slightly and winced again. "I think I'm going to need my medicine..."

"I can get it for you. Do you know where it is?" he asked.

"I think Miss Fontaine left it on the table in the sitting area..."

"Okay." Syrus left the bedroom again and went to the sitting area, looking around until he found the medicine. He got a glass of water from the kitchen area and took the things back over to the bed. "Here you go, Annie."

"Thanks, honey," she said. She took it quickly and within a few minutes began drifting off to sleep.

By this point he had gotten back into bed with her, arm wrapped around her once more. "I'm right here, Annie. Just relax and sleep... I love you," Syrus whispered, kissing her cheek.

"I love you, too," she slurred as she fell asleep. They didn't bother to lock the bedroom door and it was an hour after this that Bastion and Violet arrived home.

"Hmmm... The door's unlocked," Bastion commented.

Violet yawned, sleepy as she always was after a good meal. "Hey guys, we're back! We're not interrupting anything, are we?" she called mischievously.

Bastion looked in the sitting room at the cleared dinner trolley. "They've had dinner...it's awfully quiet, darling..."

"Maybe they're asleep. Should we check on them?" she asked through another yawn.

"Perhaps we should," Bastion answered, tiptoeing to Annie and Sy's bedroom door, listening for any telling noise that would tell Violet and Bastion that they didn't want to look in the room.

Violet opened the door, and the two saw the couple fast asleep, cuddled up on the bed. "Aww! They're so cute when they're asleep together..."

"Yeah," Bastion whispered back as he moved to cover them over with a blanket, as the sleeping couple had shifted slightly. "It's hard to believe what I caught them at today...who'd have thought it of Syrus?"

Violet smirked, looking at him. "Oh? And what about you, Mr. Serious??" she asked, placing a soft hand to his cheek.

Bastion flushed. "Well...er..."

Violet giggled, reaching up to give him a quick kiss. She then walked to the doorway of their room, sending him a seductive grin from across the room. "You're so cute when you can't form a sentence."

Bastion followed her. "Why is it that I do that the most around you?" he asked, giving her his best seductive grin.

She hopped onto the bed, slipping off her shoes. "Oh, I don't know. I guess I just know how to push your buttons the right way..." Violet replied, poking him in his sensitive, ticklish side.

Bastion started to laugh, feeling the prod. "Just a moment...I need to get my shoes off!"

Violet grinned. "Oh? You don't want to slip into something more...comfortable, as well?" she asked.

"I definitely do..." he answered. "What pajamas would you prefer me in tonight?"

She had stood and started to look through her pajama drawer, thinking for a moment. "Hmm...anything soft! I don't mind the color."

"All right..." He chose his gray pima cotton pajamas and put them on. "Are these all right?"

Violet walked over, running a hand down his chest and smiling. "Perfect!" she replied, changing into a white cotton tank top and silky white bottoms. "What about mine?"

Bastion swallowed. "Oh, my...you look absolutely beautiful...and I know how you'll look in a wedding dress of that color..."

Violet let her hair down, running a hand through it to get some of the tangles out. She jumped onto the bed, stretching out and beckoning her fiancé with a finger. "And I bet you'll look adorable in your tux…"

Bastion suddenly had a wicked idea. "Incoming!" he shouted, taking a flying leap onto the bed.

Violet yelped in surprise, just barely rolling out of the way as he belly-flopped onto the bed. Unfortunately, the bed retaliated, and caused him to bounce off of it and onto the floor. She blinked a few times, then couldn't help but crack up. "Wh-What in the WORLD was that?!" she asked through her giggles.

Bastion lay stunned for a moment, and then sat up. "A moment of spontaneity...I don't think that turned out terribly well, darling..."

Violet leaned over the side of the bed, having finally been able to stop laughing. "I don't think the bed liked what you did all that much. But at least it was fun to watch!" she stated, grinning as she helped him back up onto the mattress.

"Ouch...I have boo-boos," Bastion groaned, still slightly stunned.

Violet giggled again. "'Boo-boos?' I never thought I'd hear you say something so simple. Show me where..."

"I have...one here," he said, pointing at his left elbow.

She rolled up his sleeve, revealing a large red mark that would likely become a bruise by morning. "Aw, my poor Bastion-baby..." Violet kissed it, then trailed more along the underside of his forearm to his hand.

Bastion liked this and decided to keep it going. "And I have one here," he said plaintively, pointing at a spot on his shoulder.

Violet grinned. "Well, to get to that one, we'll need to take off your top," she replied. She unbuttoned it, pulling it down to reveal his slight muscular figure. She spotted the mark on his shoulder and kissed it, this time trailing the kisses along his collar bone.

Bastion shivered slightly. Sure he was sore, but he really liked this. "And I have one on my forehead, too..."

"All right..." She moved up to kiss his forehead, then pulled away to move her lips lower. Violet placed them on his, starting a deep, passionate kiss. Bastion kissed back, drawing her into a French kiss. Violet wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him. Bastion found himself holding her close and tightly to him. This felt so incredible. Violet pulled out of the French kiss, trailing kisses of her own down his jaw bone to his neck. She stopped there, nipping at the soft flesh playfully. Bastion moaned softly, letting her do what she wanted. For some odd reason, he wanted her to lead. Violet pulled away again before he could enjoy it too much, sending him a smirk. "Hey, now. I can't let you have all the fun, can I? Besides...isn't the man supposed to lead?" she asked, moving her arms to rest around his waist.

"Good point...I suppose I wanted to see what you wanted," he said, feeling a bit...he wasn't sure what to call it. Whatever it was, the primal part of his brain liked it.

She walked two fingers up his chest, rubbing them along his collar bone. "Do whatever you like...I wasn't exactly asking you what you wanted earlier..."

"Well...I just went with it...and I liked you kissing my boo-boos...Do you have any that require attention?" he asked with a slight raising of his eyebrows.

Violet grinned. "Well, I do have one on my side that's been bothering me. Think you can cure it?" she asked.

"Of course," he answered. "Where is it?" She slipped off her top, back to him as she pointed out a mark on her side. "Oh, my, that does look like it requires some attention..." Bastion moved his lips to the spot and then moved upward gently to her soft neck and then sucked gently.

Violet shivered at the feeling, placing her arms on his shoulders. "Ooh, Bastion," she moaned softly.

He moved away for a second, searching her eyes. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked softly.

She shook her head, sending him an open-mouthed smile. "By all means, keep applying your medicine to my boo-boos..."

"Where else do you have them?" he asked gently.

Violet tapped the underside of her chin, where a light bruise was. "Got this when I fell off the bed...remember?" she asked. They _both_ had fallen off in a tangle of limbs and sheets that morning.

"We should really thank whoever thought it would be sporting to hit the fire alarm at 5 in the morning," Bastion said, kissing her chin and then kissing around her face and coming back to her soft, full lips. She deepened the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck once more. This time, they fell back onto the bed, Bastion on top and both shirtless. Bastion kept kissing and then he realized where this might be leading. "V-Violet... darling... what... are we doing?" he panted, coming to his senses.

Violet blinked a few times, also panting and slightly dazed. "Wh-What? Where....I-I don't know..."

Bastion was breathing hard, as if he'd run a 500-meter dash. "I think...we went farther than we've gone, love...I think we almost went too far..."

Violet's eyes widened a little. "R-Really...?" she asked, breathless.

"Well...we're both...shirtless completely," he said, flushing.

Violet blinked, realizing he was right. "Oh...b-but, we still have our...pants on, right...?" she asked, face red.

Bastion looked down. "Yes, we still have our bottoms on..."

"Well at least they're still on...right?"

"Yes...well..." Bastion quickly realized the position he was in and moved quickly away. "Oh, bugger..." He had turned flame red.

Violet sat up now that he had moved off of her, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Bastion-baby, what's wrong?" she asked, frowning.

"I...wanted to...but...oh, Violet, I'm sorry, darling..."

"Bastion, what are you so sorry for??"

"That...I almost lost control..."

Violet wrapped her arms around him in a hug, trying to comfort him. "Bastion-baby...I wasn't exactly in the right state of mind, either...don't go blaming yourself..."

Bastion held her close for a long moment, but didn't feel quite as aroused at he'd felt a short time before, feeling her against him. "When we do...I want it to be perfect for you...you deserve nothing less..."

Violet smiled up at him. "The same goes for you, Bastion-baby. I wouldn't have it any other way, with any other person..."

"Perhaps...we should...fix our tops?" he asked, flushing again. I mean...not that I'm not enjoying the view. But perhaps we should avoid temptation..."

She laughed a little, pulling her tank top back on. "You're not the only one enjoying the view..."

Bastion buttoned his top. "Well, thank you..."

"You're welcome!" Violet replied, falling back onto the mattress with a yawn.

He lay down beside her. "Long day, wasn't it? I had trouble staying awake in Stein's class...I almost never have trouble doing that..."

She grinned. "Looks like I'm rubbing off on you..."

Bastion thought a minute. "Perhaps...and also, my immunity to droning monotones may finally be wearing off..."

Violet giggled a little, cuddling closer into his side. "I never even had such a thing..."

"I always managed to stay awake in lectures...even when I was small..."

"Mmm," she mumbled, half-asleep. As usual, Violet had found his chest more comfortable than the pillow.

"Good night love," Bastion said softly. He felt himself relaxing and drifting off quickly.

"'Night, Bastion-baby..." And in the suite, two couples slept and dreamed.

_And so ends this rather cuddly chapter. We hope no one minds the change in ratings and will stay with us. So, next time, the morning will dawn and we'll find out what's up with Annie's ankle. So please join us next time for "What Did I Do to Deserve This?!" and until then, please read and review! Thank you!_


	9. What Did I Do to Deserve This!

Chapter IX: What Did I Do to Deserve This?!

_Hello, again, GX fans and fans of the universe 15animefreak15 and Peach Wookiee have created. Sorry for the delay, everyone, but this was Peach's fault. She is pleased to announce the arrival of the newest member of her family, her niece, Chloe Alise, born on Mother's Day. So Peach's home life has been a little bit chaotic. Anyway, thanks for all your reviews. Rainwalker, darling, you simply must get an account so we can send you communiqués! We'd love to! As for our anonymous reviewer, we would love for you to get an account as well, so we could send you communiqués as well. We respond to all our mail, good, bad or indifferent. So thanks for sending and reading! And onto the story!_

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Darkness Falls… __**Peach loads the DVD player and a clip from Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Best of Both Worlds Part II" plays while LittleKuriboh does the voices of the crew…**__ Darn! How did the clip from Episode 32 of The Abridged Series get in here?! _

_**15animefreak15 walks in with a hammer**__. __I say we hit it with a hammer until it works!_ _**15animefreak15 aka Ani pulls out a giant hammer...**_

**Peach quickly gets between her co-author and the DVD player… **_No!! _**Peach reloads the DVD player…**_ Okay… Let's try this again… Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Darkness Falls, Annie and Sy enjoyed a quiet dinner for two and the other couples enjoyed dinner together. Later, Annie and Sy had a bit of a make-out session, as did Bastion and Violet. Bastion apparently channeled Harrison Ford, which was a bit weird, but Violet didn't seem to mind. The two couples went to bed after the hormonal insanity. So what will the morning bring? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: **__Peach and 15animefreak15 don't own GX, Yu-Gi-Oh TAS, or anything else. They just own their OCs, this version of the Yugi-verse and this story. Thanks!_

**Ani gets a curious look on her face… **_Can I still smash the player?_

**Peach sighs… **_No, but I'll let you smash this copy of "Duel Academy Gone Wild: Teachers Party Down."_

**Ani freaks out and beats the copy of the "Gone Wild" DVD with the hammer and Peach uses a flamethrower. **_**This moment of insanity brought to you by sugar, high fructose corn syrup and anything else that just might make you hyper. On with the story.**_

The next morning, Annie, Syrus, Bastion and Violet awoke feeling well rested despite their hormonal insanity of the night before. Annie attempted to get out of bed, forgetting that she had hurt her ankle; that is, until she tried to put weight on it. "AAAAAAAUGGGGGH!!!" she screamed, feeling fire shoot through her injured limb. Her face went chalk-white with the pain

Syrus, being the closest to Annie, instantly snapped awake and fell off of their bed. "Huh?! What?? Who?!" he stammered, dazed.

In the next room, Violet had been teetering close to the edge of the bed half the night. At Annie's scream, she instantly awoke and flailed about for a moment before falling as well. "Ow... not again," she groaned.

Bastion was up like a shot. "Oh, my, who screamed?" he exclaimed, eyes wide, thinking that somehow they might've just been invaded by some evil force.

"I don't know...but I landed on my head," Violet replied, upside down with her lower half still on the bed.

Annie, meanwhile, was whimpering on the edge of her and Sy's bed. "Sy," she moaned weakly, trying to hold back the tears of pain.

When Syrus realized it had been Annie who screamed, he quickly got back on the bed and crawled over to her. "Annie, what's wrong? What happened??" he asked, worry etched on his features.

"I forgot...and tried to put weight on my foot," she moaned, shaking now.

He pulled her into a hug to try and comfort her. "Should I call Miss Fontaine??" Before she could answer, Annie turned a very brilliant shade of green and started to gag, the pain was so intense. Syrus noticed this and quickly jumped off of the bed, running to grab the wastebasket by the desk. He returned and held it for her, just in case she had to throw up. And she did. Spectacularly. He winced, pulling her hair back and trying to comfort her by rubbing her back in a circular motion.

"Ooh," she moaned when she was through, feeling rotten as one does when one vomits and that Sy had to again take care of her. "Sorry, honey."

"Don't apologize, Annie. It's not your fault. Just take some deep breaths," he replied soothingly. He knew that Annie would feel terrible that again, he had to take care of her. 'But I don't care,' he thought.

She did and then lay back weakly in the bed. "Ooh..." Her skin had returned to an ivory pallor, albeit without the green tinge.

"Do you want me to call Miss Fontaine, Annie?" Sy asked, setting down the wastebasket. She nodded, weakly.

Meanwhile, Bastion helped Violet up and said, "That sounded like Annie..."

Violet started to nod, but then stopped as a headache pounded on her skull. "Yea-ow. Now I've got a headache, great...could you go check on her for me, Bastion-baby? And maybe get some Advil while you're up??" she asked, holding her sore head.

"Of course," he answered, reaching into the nightstand where there was a bottle of Advil and a bottle of water. "Here you are, darling...I'll be right back..." He left their bedroom and walked across the suite to Annie and Sy's room. The door was open. "Syrus? Is everything all right? I thought I heard Annie scream," the tall Ra genius said, voice and expression showing his concern.

"Annie accidentally put pressure on her foot, Bastion. She's in a lot of pain...you think you could call Miss Fontaine? I'm trying to keep her mind off of it." Syrus explained, holding Annie's hand comfortingly.

"Yes, of course..." And Bastion wrinkled his nose, smelling the wastebasket/ barf bucket. "Shall I clean that wastebasket out for you as well?" he asked.

"Er, yeah, that'd be helpful. Thanks, Bastion," Sy replied, sighing in exhaustion and worry.

"Annie...mind if I take a look at your foot?" Bastion added.

Annie just managed to lift her head up. "Yeah...go ahead." Syrus had moved Annie's foot back to its previous position on the pile of pillows, and now moved over a little to give Bastion some room.

Bastion took a look, and his eyes narrowed slightly in worry. The foot was already badly bruised and was swollen to nearly twice its normal size. 'She's probably broken it,' he thought. "Annie, can you wiggle your toes?" She tried and it obviously hurt. "Okay...don't worry, you did fine."

"Thanks," she answered, wincing.

"Has it gotten worse, Bastion?" Syrus asked, wishing for the thousandth time he had checked the doors carefully last night.

"Syrus, a word outside, if I may? Violet, darling, could you come in with Annie for a moment?" Bastion called, not wanting to worry Annie.

Violet, having taken an Advil, came into the room and sat on the bed. "Sure, Bastion-baby," she replied. Syrus blinked and stood, following Bastion nervously.

"Hey, Violet," Annie greeted as the boys left.

Bastion stepped into the bathroom and quickly cleaned out the barf bucket. "There we are...Syrus, my guess is that Annie has sustained either a nasty sprain or quite possibly a break. That's why her foot is so swollen and bruised. She'll be all right, but she'll have to remain off the foot," he explained, bending slightly so he could meet his roommate's eyes.

"Oh, man. And just when she was getting better and might be able to go to class again," Sy groaned.

"She'll have to be on crutches. And she'll probably be able to attend class. If she can't...perhaps the teachers would be willing to give her the lecture notes and you two could study together. We could all have a study group as well," the tall young man offered, seeing the guilt on his friend's face.

Syrus sighed again. "If only I hadn't made that one, stupid mistake..."

"Syrus...get a hold of yourself! It. Was. An. Accident. It isn't your fault, man!" Bastion exclaimed quietly. He wasn't about to allow his friend to beat himself up.

Sy blinked in surprise at Bastion's tone. "I-I guess you're right..."

Bastion looked at the smaller teen clearly. "I had to stop blaming myself in Cleveland. If I hadn't, I would've gone mad," he explained in a kind tone.

Syrus realized Bastion had a good point, and that he really should stop blaming himself. "Okay...I'll stop..."

"All right...I'll call Miss Fontaine...you and Violet keep Annie happy," Bastion answered, relief in his face.

He nodded. "All right." The two left the bathroom, and Syrus went back over to sit on the bed with the girls. Bastion dialed Miss Fontaine's number and got her to come up immediately with a wheelchair.

Meanwhile, in Annie's room... "So, did we miss anything good last night?" Annie asked, curious about the other three couples' dinner.

"Well, Jay accidentally flung his mashed potatoes at Alexis," Violet stated, grinning.

Annie looked at Sy as if to say, "Why am I not surprised?" "How...did that happen?" she asked, just suppressing her laughter.

"Well...if I remember correctly, Bastion-baby told a joke and Jaden was laughing. He was also holding a spoonful of mashed potatoes, and the spoon accidentally slipped out of his hand and bounced off of Alexis' head," the purple-headed young woman explained.

Annie started to laugh a little bit. "And then what happened?"

"She shoved some of her own mashed potatoes onto his face and they called it even. It was pretty fun to watch," Violet grinned.

"Anything else?" Annie asked, managing a weak smile.

"Hmm... well, Tyson dropped a fry down Rosa's shirt," Violet stated.

Annie and Sy sweat-dropped. "Uh...do we dare ask how that happened?" Annie queried.

"Jaden dared Tyson to try and juggle three of his fries, and one went down Rosa's shirt. It took a while for her to get it out, too," Violet chuckled.

"And...Rosa's reaction was?" Annie asked, picturing Tyson getting hit.

A split second later, Violet confirmed her suspicions. "I believe her exact words were...'Dios mio! Chico tonto!!' and she punched Tyson on the head."

Annie giggled, and then winced slightly at the pain in her ankle. "Some things never change...And...what about you and Bastion? I didn't hear you come in last night..." She noticed Violet's pensive expression and said, "Uh, Sy? You might want to step out for a minute..."

Syrus blinked. "Huh? Why, Annie??" he asked, confused.

"Girl talk...you wouldn't want me and Violet listening in on your locker room conversations, now would you?" she pointed out with as naughty of a grin as she could muster under the circumstances.

Sy blushed a little and sweat-dropped. "Oh, right, okay..." He quickly stood and left the room, deciding to see if Bastion had called Miss Fontaine yet.

Bastion was sitting on the couch when Sy came out of the room. "She's coming, Syrus..." he assured the smaller young man.

Meanwhile, back in the room, Annie smiled, trying to focus on something other than the pain. "So, what happened with you and Bastion last night since we know about the other two couples?"

"Well, nothing happened while we were out. It was more of...what happened when we...got back," Violet began, blushing.

Annie looked at Violet curiously. "I wonder if it was anything like what happened with me and Sy..."

"Well...did you guys...take off each other's shirts...?"

"Uh...does him undressing me for my bath and carrying me around naked count?"

"Um....well, he kind of had to do that..."

Annie sighed. "True...we were getting into things when my ankle had other plans. Did you two..?"

Violet's face went beet red. "N-No, of course we didn't do that! We...came close, though...."she stammered.

"That's what I figured...Must've been something last night...I think Sy and I both wanted to..."

"Maybe it was because we went swimming?" Violet offered.

"Something in the water," Annie agreed, laughing lightly. "He had chocolate on his face..."

"Bastion-baby kind of fell off the bed....and I kissed his boo-boos....then he kissed mine...."

Annie started cracking up. "Boo-boos?!"

Violet grinned. "You should have heard HIM say it!"

Annie grinned and did Bastion's accent. "Boo-boos!"

Violet snorted and started laughing, since Annie did a VERY good impression. "That's exactly what it sounded like!!"

"And...he did better than Harrison Ford, though he's the last one I'd suspect of doing that," Annie commented thoughtfully.

Violet blinked. "Who??"

"Harrison Ford. He played Indiana Jones and did the boo-boo kissing thing in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.'"

"Ooh...see, I've never watched an Indiana Jones movie, believe it or not."

Annie's eyes widened. "What? You haven't?"

"Uhhh...nope. Is it really that strange?"

"No...I'm just really surprised," Annie answered. "It's a huge movie franchise."

"It's kind of like how I haven't seen the Star Wars movies..."

"I still have to make you do that...Bastion's seen all six..."

"Oh boy. We're just going to have a sci-fi movie night, aren't we?"

"You mean a week...So...uh..." Annie blushed and giggled.

Violet blinked. "You're kidding."

"Six Star Wars movies, 12 Star Trek movies... maybe a week..."

Violet sighed, rolling her eyes. "We're gonna need a lot of soda."

"Yeah," Annie grinned, feeling a little better.

Outside the room, the boys talked a little bit about their evening, omitting certain details. And then there was a knock at the door. "That's probably Miss Fontaine." Syrus stated, getting up to answer the door.

Sure enough, the nurse was outside with the wheelchair. "Hello, boys, I came as soon as I could. How's the patient?"

"Violet's been keeping her company and her mind off of her ankle. She's in the bedroom," Syrus explained. He and Miss Fontaine went to Annie's bedroom, where the girls had just finished talking.

"Hello, Annie, hi, Violet," Miss Fontaine greeted.

"Hi, Miss Fontaine!" Violet greeted cheerfully, waving.

"Okay, I need to check your ankle, Annie. Need someone to hold your hand while I check?"

Annie nodded. "Guys..."

Violet smiled and took Annie's hand, while Syrus took her other hand. "We're here for you, Annie," he stated encouragingly.

Bastion put his hand on Annie's shoulder. "It's all right."

Annie braced herself. "Okay, deep breath," Miss Fontaine said.

"Ouch...ouch!" Annie whimpered as the teacher/nurse touched her ankle. Even though Miss Fontaine was being very gentle, even that gentle touch was like fire to the young woman's body.

"It's okay, Annie," Syrus soothed, squeezing her hand, and hoping that this wasn't a sign of bad damage.

"Just think about something else! Like uh, um...Sy in a Gyroid costume!!" Violet stated, grinning.

"Or...us streaking last year?" Bastion tried, flushing. Annie kept whimpering though.

"Oh, dear...Annie, I'm afraid we're going to have to take you to the infirmary. I'm a little concerned," Miss Fontaine said gently.

"Miss Fontaine...if I'm off my foot...can I have some homework...please?" Annie begged softly.

Violet blinked. "Annie, you're the only person I know-besides Bastion-baby-who'd want to do homework."

"Sy needs to catch up too," Annie explained, turning really pale and feeling the room begin to spin. "Ooooh..."

"Annie? Are you okay??" Syrus asked worriedly.

"Uh oh..." Bastion and Miss Fontaine said at the same time. Annie, overcome by pain, passed out.

Violet blinked in surprise. "Miss Fontaine, what happened? Is Annie all right??" she asked nervously. After so many times of Annie passing out and it being life-threatening, it was second nature to Violet to worry about her best friend.

Miss Fontaine, however, wasn't worried. "She's all right. Syrus, go get a cold washcloth, will you?" she asked, checking Annie's now-steady pulse.

"O-Okay." Syrus went into the bathroom and wet a washcloth with cold water, then came back and handed it to Miss Fontaine.

Fortunately, Annie was already coming around. "It's okay, Annie," Miss Fontaine soothed. "You just passed out..."

Annie sighed. "What...what happened?"

"You just passed out from the pain, honey...your heart rate's normal..."

"Should I help her into the wheelchair, Miss Fontaine?" Syrus asked, remembering how he was able to lift her last night.

Miss Fontaine checked Annie again and nodded. "Just be really careful."

"Syrus," Bastion said in shock, "Can you?"

Sy blushed a little. "Uh, yeah..." The small Obelisk gathered Annie into his arms, and then lifted her up from the bed. He was still a little shaky, but was able to set her down in the wheelchair.

"Thanks, Sy," Annie said tiredly, still pale but getting some color back in her cheeks.

"Syrus...how in the world?" Bastion asked, stunned. If someone had told him that warp drive had just been achieved, he couldn't have been more stunned as he was seeing Syrus lift Annie.

'I probably should tell Bastion what I've been doing,' Syrus thought. "Well, I, um...have been working out a little. I wanted to be stronger for Annie," he explained.

Violet reached over and squeezed his bicep, grinning. "I feel some muscle!"

"That's my man of mystery," Annie said groggily.

"Man of mystery?" Miss Fontaine wondered, sweat-dropping.

Syrus blushed again. "She called me that last night, too..."

"You surprised me," Annie explained softly, laying her head on the wheelchair headrest.

"Let's get you to the infirmary, Annie," Miss Fontaine said. "Are you three coming?" she asked. Bastion nodded.

"Yeah, I'm coming." Syrus added.

"You're not leaving me here!" Violet stated.

"Okay, let's go, then..." Once Annie was secure in the chair, they left the room.

"Here we go again," Annie sighed, frustrated. 'If I've broken something, I am so yelling,' she thought.

"Annie, it's okay. It's nothing too bad or serious, like it was before," Syrus reminded her encouragingly. "You can't die from this…"

"Yeah...At least I made it a few more weeks before I had to see a doctor again," she sighed, the frustration staying in her tone.

"Well, maybe since you've been to the hospital so much BEFORE you're married, you'll hardly ever have to go AFTER you're married." Violet offered, smiling.

"I hope you're right," Annie smiled, still worn out from the pain.

The party of five headed down the hall to the elevator and rode down to the first floor. Jaden, Alexis, Tyson and Rosa were dressed and heading to breakfast when they saw the other two couples with Miss Fontaine. "Hey, guys!" Jaden called.

"Hiya, Jay! I see you were able to wash the mashed potatoes out of your hair!!" Violet greeted, grinning.

Alexis laughed a little, blushing, but it wasn't at the teasing comment. "Yeah, I helped him. Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Not exactly," Bastion sighed. "Annie's collision with the wall may have resulted in a sprain or a possible fracture."

Tyson looked seriously at Annie. "Private Annie...I think we need to invest in some protective gear for you..." Annie sighed for what seemed like the millionth time.

Violet blinked. "That's exactly what my parents used to tell me, Tyson," she stated.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Well, Violet, Annie's a little more, uh...er..." He didn't want to say Annie was less tough, or that Violet had a harder head, or something else that could be considered insulting.

Annie groaned, laughing a little. "My brother once said I should have 'Fragile' tattooed on me somewhere..."

Violet's eyes widened. "Your brother actually wanted you to get a tattoo??" she asked, completely missing the point.

"Uh...Violet darling, the point is that Bobby thinks Annie is a bit delicate," Bastion explained.

Violet blinked yet again, stunned. "Ooh....well, you just have to be more careful, then."

"Yeah...I should watch for wet floors," Annie answered.

"Man, Annie...your foot looks messed up," Jaden marveled. "Uh..." Then he whispered to Alexis, "Have uniforms changed overnight?"

Alexis blinked, then sweat-dropped when she realized what Jaden meant. All four were still in their pajamas. "Uhhh...guys? I think you forgot to do something this morning," she stated, grinning sheepishly.

Bastion realized he was standing in the Obelisk common area dressed in his gray pajamas. "Er..."

Annie blushed, realizing she was in her white nightie, also in front of everyone. "Oops..."

Syrus was also blushing. "Oh, man," he muttered.

Violet blinked, tilting her head. "Uh, someone mind filling me in?"

"Violet, darling..." Bastion said gently, "We are in our pajamas..."

"You soldiers are seriously out of uniform," Tyson grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

Violet blinked again, and glanced down. "Oh. Well, it's like if we were back home, then, isn't it? I don't see the big deal." And she gave a simple shrug.

Syrus sighed. "Sometimes I wonder what it'd be like to have that much confidence..."

"Uh...Violet," Annie beckoned her best friend close.

Violet stepped closer and leaned down so that she was eye-level with Annie. "Yeah??"

Annie whispered, "Violet, it's cool outside..." Her face was red.

The purple-headed young woman blinked. "What?"

"We're not wearing bras," the dark-haired girl whispered, thinking of a rather embarrassing situation that might happen.

Violet blushed. "Uh...Miss Fontaine? Could I run upstairs and get some clothes for us?? Maybe we can change in the bathrooms?" she asked, grinning sheepishly.

Miss Fontaine nodded, understanding why Annie was blushing. "All right. We'll wait for you..."

And then, a familiar Obelisk walked close to the group and muttered to one of his comrades, "Aw, great...I still can't believe ketchup and mustard students are allowed in here." It was Terry Rogers, one of Chazz's former lackeys. He had dark teal hair and glasses with rectangular frames. He also had, despite the school's best efforts, held onto the prejudice that Obelisks were automatically better than Slifer and Ra students.

"And I can't believe that boys that have to rely on Daddy's money to get them into this school are allowed in Obelisk," Annie countered loud enough for Terry to hear. "Unlike some people...the ketchup and mustard students, as you call them, could whip your butt in a duel!"

Violet and Rosa each sent him a menacing grin, cracking their knuckles. "And out of a duel!" they added threateningly.

"What did you say?" Terry growled, advancing on the group.

"We said, soldier, that you aren't as good as you think you are!" Tyson growled.

"And we are the Elite of Ra Yellow... I chose not to accept promotion," Bastion said, eyes set and narrow.

"Yeah, me too...I'm a Slifer and proud of it!" Jaden grinned in his usual cheery manner.

"And I'm an Obelisk now, but I don't see what the difference is between the duelists in blue and the ones in yellow and red. Some in blue are worse, some are better. The same goes for the other two dorms," Syrus explained, more than a little upset that Terry had insulted his friends.

Alexis smirked. "I agree. I'm an Obelisk and have felt the same way all three years I've been here."

"Yeah... Well, you should talk, Alexis. You became a Slifer XXXX," Terry said, saying something about Alexis that made the all the boys in the room turn the same red shade as Jaden's red blazer.

"Take that back! You just insulted my fiancée!" Jaden growled, fleetingly thinking of siccing Yubel on the stuck up Obelisk.

"Apologize to the lady or else..." Bastion added, his gray eyes snapping.

"Why should I?" Terry countered.

"Because," Miss Fontaine began, her eyes snapping angrily.

"That is unacceptable behavior, Terry and I will not have it any longer in this dorm!" Vellian Crowler concluded. He had walked into the room and heard the entire exchange. His blue eyes flashed like fire, and it was one of those occasions where the students knew why they feared him. Alexis' eyes had gone wide from the insult, and Violet and Rosa had been ready to pound Terry for saying such a thing. Syrus was glad the two teachers stepped in, or things could have gotten ugly.

It could have gotten very ugly because at that moment, Chazz and Atticus Rhodes came storming across the room, flanked by Jesse Anderson, Adrian Gecko, Axel Brody and Jim Cook, along with Shirley the crocodile. "WHAT DID YOU SAY TO MY SISTER?!" Chazz yelled.

"Private Chazz, I'd stand down," Tyson said, attempting to calm the situation.

"Yeah...stand down. The teachers are handling this," Axel added, his own military training coming into play.

Atticus was fuming, and it was one of the rare moments he was actually angry. "He's lucky the teachers are. Otherwise, I may not be held responsible for my actions," he growled, sounding scarily like one Zane Truesdale. 'He's lucky I don't have my surfboard,' he thought, imagining how satisfying it might be to whack Terry over the head.

And Dr. Crowler wasn't done with his fury. "Terry, you have earned yourself one week's detention for this...And I will be emailing your family about this and informing Chancellor Shepherd."

"What?!" the teal-haired Obelisk shouted, shocked that the once-favoring instructor was actually disciplining him.

"Yes. What you just called Alexis is also sexual harassment, and that is treated very seriously at this school. We're going straight to the chancellor and you will be very lucky if he doesn't choose to suspend you!" The blonde teacher grabbed Terry by the shoulder and walked him out of the room.

Jaden put his arm around Alexis. "You okay, babe? He's wrong...and he's no gentleman..."

Alexis sighed. "Yeah, I'm all right. Thanks for defending me, guys," she stated, smiling.

"Hey, Terry had it coming to him since year one!" Violet replied.

"No way I'd let my sister be called...that," Chazz growled, while Atticus punched his hand in his fist.

Jesse's eyes were flashing and Jaden noticed. "Uh...Jess? You okay, pal?"

Jesse crossed his arms over his chest, frowning. His Southern upbringing had instilled in him a very strong sense of how to and how not to treat a lady. 'If this were a different decade, one of us just might be duelin' him, but not with cards,' he thought. "No fella should be talkin' to a lady like that. He deserves suspension!" he asserted.

"No way he deserves anything less," Tyson added, clenching his fists.

Annie suddenly smiled wolfishly. "I guess Terry didn't get the memo, girls..."

The other three girls blinked, and Violet decided to ask, "What do you mean, Annie?"

"Remember what you three did to Mary Sue? She didn't come back this year," Annie reminded her friends, still smirking.

The three grinned, glancing at each other. "I see," Alexis replied, a devilish grin on her face.

"Las Chicas Enchufan!" Rosa exclaimed eagerly.

"I'm guessing that translates to 'Girl Power!!'" Violet shouted happily.

Miss Fontaine was, thankfully, out of earshot so she didn't hear that exchange. "So...what are you doing back in the chair, Annie?" Adrian asked, kneeling at her level.

"I had a little accident in the locker room last night," Annie explained. "I think I'm going to be off my foot for a while..."

Violet suddenly remembered what she was going to do before Terry showed up. "Oh! The clothes!!" she exclaimed. Violet tore off back to the elevator, and they could almost see a trail of smoke in her wake.

Jim sweat-dropped. "So, why are you blokes in your pajamas, anyway?" he asked.

"Well," Annie explained, "I woke up this morning and tried to put my weight on my foot and I screamed and I woke everybody up and then I threw up and Miss Fontaine came and we all needed to head to the infirmary..."

Syrus blinked. "Uh, that was kind of fast for an explanation, Annie," he replied, sweat-dropping.

Speaking of fast, they heard footsteps, and Violet screeched to a halt by them. "I'm…back…with…the…clothes," she panted, a pile of clothes in her arms.

"Thanks, Violet!" Annie said happily.

"Thanks, darling," Bastion added, grateful he could change into his uniform.

"Well," Miss Fontaine said, coming back from chatting with Professor Viper, "do we have an entourage?" The kids nodded. "Okay, then let's head to the infirmary. It's 7:15 and none of you have class until 8:30..."

"Uh, Miss Fontaine? Can we change real fast??" Violet asked.

"Oh, of course...Annie, you're going to need some help...girls, can you handle it?" the nurse asked.

Alexis nodded. "I'll help."

"So will I," Rosa added. Violet took the handles of the wheelchair, and the four girls went into the nearby bathroom.

Meanwhile, Bastion and Sy charged into the guys' bathroom. "Oh, bugger," Bastion said, laughing in an embarrassed way. "Violet packed her favorite pair of my boxer shorts..."

Syrus grinned, taking a glance at them. "Hydrogeddon boxers??"

"Yeah...what did Violet pick for you?" Bastion wondered curiously.

Syrus sighed, blushing a little. "Apparently, Violet likes boxers with duel monsters on them," he stated, holding up a pair of white boxers with mini-Gyroids printed on them.

"I'll bet Annie likes those," Bastion grinned.

Syrus' blush reddened slightly. "Yeah..."

"They love us and our shorts," Bastion said, flushing slightly thinking of last night.

"Y-Yeah...so, did you and Violet do anything last night?" the blue-headed young man asked curiously.

Bastion looked at him. "Annie sent you out of the room, correct when she and Violet talked?"

Syrus nodded. "Yeah..."

"Then it's safe to assume that they talked," the bigger young man said thoughtfully, stroking his chin.

Syrus's eyes widened. "Bastion, did you and Violet...?"

Bastion flushed. "Er...no...but we came bloody close...I assume you and Annie almost did..."

Syrus blushed this time. "Yeah...but her ankle stopped us..."

"I came to my senses, fortunately," Bastion admitted.

"It looks like we both have to be a little more...careful. At least, until after we're married," Syrus sighed for the umpteenth time.

"Yeah...definitely...er...Syrus?"

"Yeah, Bastion?"

"Do you suppose Jaden and Tyson are having this sort of...trouble?"

"Probably. I mean, they're in the same sort of situation as us, right? Only thing is...they aren't rooming with anyone else like we are."

"Perhaps we should ask...set up a soon-to-be-married guys' night out..."

"That might be a good idea. What day is it today again?"

"Thursday..."

"Maybe we could have one on Saturday?"

"Good idea..." And they got on their uniforms and headed back outside. The girls hadn't emerged from the bathroom quite yet.

In the women's restroom, Alexis and Rosa were almost finished getting Annie dressed, and Violet had just finished getting ready herself. "Hey, Annie, you're gonna love the boxers I picked out for Sy," she stated, grinning.

"Which ones?" Annie asked, smiling.

"The Gyroid-print ones. And, of course, I got Bastion-baby his Hydrogeddon-print boxers," she explained.

Alexis and Rosa giggled. "They actually have boxers like that??" Alexis asked.

"What? Jaden and Tyson don't have things on their boxers?" Annie asked, grinning.

"Well, Jay DOES have a pair of Winged Kuriboh boxers," Alexis replied, smirking, thinking of him wandering around the room in the morning in them.

"Ty-Ty has dinosaur boxers," added Rosa.

"Thought so," Annie smiled. "Yeah, Sy has Gyroid, Stealthroid, Cycroid and UFO-roid...and a couple more..."

Violet giggled. "Bastion-baby also has ones with test tubes on them and another pair with math problems."

"Jaden has a few with Elemental Heroes, like Bubbleman and Sparkman," Alexis added.

"Ty-Ty has a pair of camouflage boxers," Rosa stated, grinning.

"Just as I thought," Annie smiled. "Now...hold on! We need a soon-to-be-married girls' night!"

"Yeah! It's Thursday, right? Why don't we have it on Saturday??" Violet offered, grinning.

"I don't have any plans." Alexis replied. Rosa nodded in agreement.

"Cool! We can talk about the guys and what it's like and...what we're dealing with," Annie said, blushing.

The other three girls blushed almost at the exact same time, and glanced at each other. "Looks like we all know what we're talking about," Violet stated, her face brick red.

"Good...then that's out of the way," Annie said in relief, now in her uniform for the first time since the nightmares had left her too weak to go to class. "Well, let's get outside. They're probably wondering what we're doing..."

"Rightio!" Violet cheered, and the four girls exited the restroom.

"Hey, we were just about to send Miss Fontaine in there!" Jaden said as the four emerged. "Everything all right?" he asked, giving his fiancée a kiss on the cheek.

Alexis smiled. "Yeah, everything's fine. We had an idea, though. We wanted to ask you four if it'd be all right," she began as they started walking.

"Sure, Lex...what's up?"

"Well, we wanted to have a "soon-to-be-married girls' night out" this Saturday. You four guys think you can handle being alone for a night?" she asked teasingly.

"Funny you should mention that, Alexis," Bastion said. "We all were thinking the same thing..."

"Yeah. Like a 'soon-to-be-married guys' night out' on the same night," Syrus explained.

"That sound okay, Spanish Rose?" Tyson asked.

She nodded. "Si. Sounds fair to me."

"Then, we're on!" Jaden grinned.

"Uh...kids, let's go!" Miss Fontaine said and took them all to the infirmary. "Okay...Annie's going to need to have a few X-rays," she explained when they were at their destination.

"You mean that thing that prints a black and white picture of your bones?" Violet asked.

"Yeah, that thing, Violet. Annie...you're going to have to be in the room alone, okay?" Annie nodded, but looked at Sy a little nervous.

"It's okay, Annie. You'll be fine, I promise. And I'll be here when you come back out," Syrus stated encouragingly, giving her a smile.

Annie nodded. Miss Fontaine got everything done in a few minutes and Annie was rolled back outside. "I'm done...she just has to develop the films..."

"Did it feel weird, Annie?" Violet asked curiously.

"No...except for wearing the lead apron..."

"Was it pretty heavy?" Alexis asked.

"Not bad," Annie answered. "It definitely wasn't as bad as some of the tests I went through for my heart.

"Well, let's hope it's not broken," Syrus stated, taking her hand.

"Yeah...it isn't any fun havin' a broken bone," Tyson said. "I know my situation's different, but it still wasn't fun..."

"You guys might find this a little hard to believe, but I've never gotten any serious injuries. Well, before this summer, I mean. Even though I'm really clumsy, I never hurt myself that badly," Violet explained with a shrug.

"I can believe it," Annie said. "You're a little like my brother, Bobby...he can be a klutz, but he knows how to fall..."

Violet blinked. "You mean falling on your face?" She couldn't exactly remember falling any other way...except maybe onto her butt.

"I can't explain it," Annie sighed. "Have you ever broken anything, guys?"

"My arm, once," Syrus replied, remembering a fall he took.

"I fractured my shin bone," Alexis added, thinking of one of her most memorable soccer games.

Rosa did some counting in her head. "I've broken both of my arms, my right wrist, my left ankle twice and my right leg."

Annie looked back at the boys from the other academies. Adrian grinned sheepishly. "I broke my nose when a friend of mine socked me in the nose. I wasn't paying attention and Echo whacked me." That wasn't the truth. He'd actually asked Echo about something she'd bought at Victoria's Secret and she hadn't taken to the query kindly.

Axel sighed. "I tripped in the woods while out with my dad. I didn't break anything, but I did tear some muscle..."

"Broke my leg when I fell out of a tree in the backyard," Jesse stated, grinning sheepishly.

"Well, I've never broken anything. But...well, I am missin' an eye," Jim stated, motioning towards the bandaged side of his face.

"Uh...Jim...is it too personal to ask how it happened?" Annie asked the Australian.

"Well, I was walkin' through the forest with Shirley, lookin' for poachers' traps. I noticed Shirley headed for one, and jumped to move her outta the way. It worked, but we ended up fallin' over the side of a cliff and into a spring. I'm not exactly sure what made me lose my eye, but then I woke up on the shore with Shirley by my side. And...you blokes probably aren't going to believe most of this next bit," he explained, glancing over his shoulder at Shirley.

The group of Duel Academy Central students looked at each other. "Try us," Jaden said.

"Yes...we're a great deal less skeptical than most people," Bastion added, cocking his right eyebrow.

"I suppose you have a point. Well, it turns out this Aboriginal guru fixed up my eye while I was out. He replaced it with an 'Orichalcum' one instead. He said that when the time was right, I could use the eye to create a miracle and save a friend. I can't take it off until the prophecy is fulfilled," Jim finished.

Violet's own eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in awe. "Whoa! That's SO COOL!!!"

Jaden looked at the bandaged side of Jim's face. "Wow! Sweet!"

"Not sure if what he said was true, though," Jim stated, patting that side of his face.

Annie looked at the Australian naturalist, tracker and duelist thoughtfully. "It could be...the Millennium Items were real..."

Alexis frowned thoughtfully. "But if it is...then maybe that means we're not out of the woods yet..."

"Well," Bastion said thoughtfully, "perhaps we should remember what was said in 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix...' Not every prophecy is meant to come true..."

Violet, the point once again flying right over her head, grinned. "I love those books!" she stated.

Just then, Miss Fontaine came out from the X-ray room, looking serious. "Kids...I have the X-rays..."

"So...is it broken, Miss Fontaine?" Syrus asked nervously.

"Well...Annie...is it all right if everyone hears this?" she asked. Annie nodded, and so the teacher and nurse continued, "You do have a small fracture, but it's not bad. You'll get to wear a strap-on boot."

In other circumstances, Annie might've just been relieved that she wasn't going to be airlifted out of the academy and to the mainland for some huge surgery. However, today, she had somehow had more than she could take. She looked upward to Heaven and shouted, "COME FREAKING ON!"

All over the room, jaws dropped and eyes bugged in shock. Could this be the calm and cool Annie that had made it through her heart condition and even fought Camula? "Uh… Annie?" Jaden asked. "Are you okay?"

Anger marks were visible on Annie's face now, also a stunning sight. "Jaden, I'm frustrated. You get hit in the head with a meteor, Violet, Rosa and Alexis each had brushes with death, Atticus was turned to the shadows, and now, I have a broken ankle!" she exclaimed.

Violet looked at her best friend and understood what was going through Annie's mind. "She has a good point… And that's not even half of it."

"Sooo… what's the point?" Jaden wanted to know.

"The point is that we all seem to keep getting hurt and it's frustrating, Jay," Sy explained, holding Annie's hand and wishing it hadn't been so.

Jaden moved over to Annie, sympathy in his face. The summer had helped him grow up in ways he couldn't explain. He'd retained his cheerfulness and innocence, but had gained knowledge that helped him in situations like this. He might be clueless sometimes, but now that he knew what was going on, he might be able to sooth his friend. "Annie, I know it's frustrating. You're right; we have gone through a lot of stuff. We may or may not be done with all of it, but we're going through it together. Whatever happens, I've gotta believe we've been through too much to be defeated now. So let's get through one thing at a time, okay?"

Annie had to admit to herself that she was surprised. 'Jaden really grew up,' she thought. 'He's still the same guy, but he's changed a bit. And…he's right.' "I guess you're right, Jaden," she said, managing a smile. "So what now, Miss Fontaine?"

"You need to take it very easy," Miss Fontaine answered. "In fact, you'll need to stay off your foot for two weeks. I'll give you crutches for in your room, but you'll need the wheelchair for classes. But you aren't going back until next week. The swelling will be down enough by then that you can be comfortable in the seats."

"I can push you around to get to classes, Annie," Syrus stated.

"And I can do that for the classes he doesn't have with you," Violet offered.

"I still want homework so we can catch up," Annie requested. "Can I do that so I'm ready on Monday?"

"Is that all right, Miss Fontaine?" Sy asked, concern etched on his features.

Miss Fontaine looked at Annie appraisingly, cocking her head as she did. "Well, Annie, as long as you don't overdo, that'll be fine. I know the professors have missed you two in class..."

Syrus blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah," Miss Fontaine smiled, remembering conversations in the faculty lounge. "Dr. Crowler misses you, Sy and I know I do. Even Professor Stein misses you."

"But...all I ever did was sleep in Professor Stein's classes," Sy admitted, self-consciously.

"Syrus...nearly everyone does," Bastion pointed out, also a bit embarrassed.

"I guess you have a point there," the bluenette grinned sheepishly.

"Well, he said you might sleep, but he knows you've been helping Annie," Miss Fontaine smiled.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "So then he knows almost everyone sleeps during his classes?"

"Yes, he does, and since Jaden wasn't in the class for part of this semester, he had to reevaluate himself a bit," the nurse answered.

Violet blinked and asked the question this time. "What do you mean, Miss Fontaine?"

"That means...he's trying to make class a little more interesting."

"Oh, yes...bringing in the archaeological samples," Bastion said, remembering yesterday's class, examining things found at a dig in Egypt's Valley of the Kings.

"Well, it wouldn't really be so bad if his voice wasn't so, er...monotone," Alexis stated, grinning sheepishly.

"Yeah...that is a problem," Annie sighed. She loved history, but Professor Stein's way of teaching just wasn't exciting enough for the subject matter.

Violet giggled as an idea popped into her head. "Maybe if he had a megaphone..."

"Okay, then," Miss Fontaine said, "I'll tell him you're ready for some work, Syrus and Annie. We'll have it to you this afternoon..."

"Looks like it's back to work, Annie," Syrus stated cheerfully.

"Yeah," Annie answered and blushed a bit, returning her fiancé's eagerness.

_You're probably all saying what Annie said, we know. Come on! How much more injury can these guys take? Well, at least it's normal instead of life-threatening. And no villain has shown up yet. Will the villains show up? Definitely. Will it be soon? Well, you'll just have to keep tuning in, won't you? So next time, the guys and gals have a segregated night out. What chaos will occur? What secrets will be revealed? Find out in "The Big Night Out!" So until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you for reading, reviewing and your patience!_


	10. The Big Night Out

Chapter X: The Big Night Out

_Hi, everyone! Again, it seems like time was something we didn't have enough of the past few days. Anyway, thanks for the good wishes and congratulations, and as always, the reviews! So since this chapter is so long… again… let's get right to the disclaimer!_

_**Violet runs in, high on sugar: **__Ani-chan owns me and Rosa, Peach-chan owns Annie and Peach-chan and Ani-chan don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise! They do own this story and their version of the Yugi-verse! They also don't own Robot Chicken or any board games! Okay, bye! __**Violet runs out of the room—**_

The next couple of days went smoothly. Sy and Annie got caught up on some of their homework and then it was Saturday night. "Yay! Girls' night out!" Annie cheered. The four girls were sitting on the floor of Alexis' room, since it had the most space. The guys had gone to hang out at Jaden's old dorm room, leaving the girls alone.

"This is gonna be fun," Violet stated, grinning.

"Yeah...we can talk and we don't have to worry about the guys listening in!" Annie said happily.

"So...what should we talk about first?" Alexis asked.

"Hmmm..." Annie said. "Rosa? Violet? Any ideas?" The two girls glanced at each other, then shrugged. Rosa had never had any "girls' nights out", and had no idea what to talk about. Violet just couldn't think of anything interesting to talk about.

"Well...uh," Annie blushed. "I wasn't sure, but...have you had...um," she stammered. She wasn't sure how to broach this topic since she'd thought it would wait until later, but now seemed as good a time as any. "Uh...you know...trouble?"

All three girls blushed. "N-No, of course not!" Alexis stammered out first. Violet shook her head vigorously, as did Rosa.

"I didn't mean...oh, crud...I meant...you know...coming close to...er..."

"Oh...yeah," Violet murmured.

"Me, too," Alexis added. "Si," mumbled Rosa.

"Violet...I already know about you...Rosa? Alexis? What about you?" Annie looked at her friends. "I mean...uh...details..."

"Well, Jay and I came close Wednesday night," Alexis replied, blushing.

"Ty-Ty and I did a few nights ago," added Rosa, also blushing.

"Oh?" Annie asked, knowing she and Sy had come very close again last night.

"Yeah..."

"So...um...what happened? I'll tell mine, too," Annie offered, wanting to be fair.

"Well, it happened the night we came back from eating out with everyone," Alexis began. "We had mashed potatoes on us and Jaden said he needed a shower. And… well, I asked if I could join him. It made him a little nervous, but he said he was okay with it." She shifted in her seat, remembering how Jaden had blushed.

Annie raised an eyebrow. "He was more than a little nervous, wasn't he?" she asked, also crossing her arms over her chest.

The Queen of Obelisk Blue nodded confirmation. "He was more nervous in some ways than Sy used to be about all kinds of things. Anyway, we got in the shower and started cleaning off. I washed his hair and he washed mine. And then, we scrubbed ourselves and well… it got kind of hot and heavy. We started making out and… I wasn't thinking. Fortunately, Jay realized what was happening and stopped it before we did something we might've regretted. He realized he needed to talk to Miss Fontaine again about…" Here Alexis blushed deeply again… "Protection, and we cooled it and got out of the shower. Then we got our pajamas on and went to bed. And that's what happened," she finished, still flushed pink.

"Wow...Alexis, please don't take this the wrong way...Jaden being responsible....whoa," Annie breathed, shifting so her palms rested on the couch cushions, her arms behind her. "That's amazing."

The blonde girl grinned both happily and sheepishly. "I know, I'm a little surprised, too. But it's a good thing he was. We aren't really ready yet, and it wouldn't have been right."

"Yeah...I'm beginning to think we've got special guys...So, Rosa, what about you and Tyson?" Annie asked curiously, feeling a bit less isolated

"Well... Senorita Annie, could you translate, por favor? I am very… ¿como se dice?.. nervous," she requested, rubbing her fingers nervously. "I would like to speak in Español."

"Of course," Annie answered, changing her position so she was leaning forward. Annie might not be completely fluent, but she could translate for Rosa if the younger woman went slowly in her speech.

"Well," Rosa began in Spanish, "it happened a few nights ago. Ty-Ty and I had gone for a late evening walk on the beach... We remembered the nights we spent back in Spain where we could see the stars around us and hear the ocean waves just a short distance away. It was romantic then, as it was a few nights ago. I told him that there was one thing I liked to see more than the stars. And that was him.

"We kissed and sat down on the beach, away from the waves, and kissed some more. And then we saw a shooting star. We each made a wish upon it and I hoped mine came true. I am sure Ty-Ty hoped the same thing. We began kissing again, but this time… this time, it was so powerful. We found ourselves doing things we ordinarily would not do, and when we finally came to our senses, we were… well… we were…" She blushed crimson, twisting her skirt. "Well, we almost went too far. Our tops were off and if my brassiere had not hit him in the face…"

At this point, Annie stopped translating and started giggling. "Your bra hit him in the face?! Seriously?!"

Alexis's jaw dropped. "What?!" Her eyes were wide and she was leaning forward as if she would take off flying. And then she doubled over laughing.

Violet, meanwhile, sat stunned for a moment, her bright green eyes as big as dinner plates. "His face… got hit… by your bra?!" she asked as Alexis started laughing. Rosa, now as red as a matador's cape, nodded silently. And then Violet burst out laughing too. "That… didn't… happen… to me… and Bastion-baby!! It should have!!"

That image made Rosa laugh. "Si, si!" she chuckled. "I am sorry, Violet! The image is funny!" she said in English. Violet, still guffawing, nodded. When the group of young women had calmed down sufficiently, the Spanish girl continued her tale in her first language. "Ty-Ty blamed himself for nearly giving in, but I had as much to do with it as he did. But we stopped and discussed what needed to be done… just in case. Then we headed back to our room, and on the way, I had tremors. He had to carry me back to our room and then gave me my medication and a massage. We got into our night clothes and went to bed. And that is what happened," Rosa concluded, and Annie finished translating.

"Aww...he's so sweet," Annie said, thinking of the last of the story.

Rosa nodded, smiling. Violet grinned. "He's like a big teddy bear!"

"It seems like tough soldiers have that teddy bear quality...as do certain Ra geniuses and certain Slifers who clearly would do battle if snobby Obelisk males don't know how to behave like gentlemen," Annie said.

"I so would have given him the wedgie of his life if the teachers hadn't been there!" Violet exclaimed angrily.

"Si! Y I would have pounded him!!" added Rosa, her native tongue combining with her second language as it often did.

"And Terry would've deserved it...and then Atticus and Chazz would've torn him to shreds and they all would've fed him to rabid chipmunks," Annie concluded with a slightly feral grin.

"Not chipmunks, Annie. Squirrels. Chipmunks are evil," Violet stated, crossing her arms over her chest. Rosa and Alexis blinked, clearly confused.

"Chipmunks are evil?" Annie asked, puzzled.

Violet sighed, having explained this seemingly simple fact to her best friend at least 50 times. "I thought we went over this before. Chipmunks are evil because they constantly steal the innocent squirrels' acorns. Also, they're allied with the bunnies, which are also evil. I swear, they're conspiring right now to turn the 'Internet' into 'Carrotnet!'" Violet explained matter-of-factly.

Silence reigned over the room for a moment as the young women exchanged glances. Finally someone dared to say what three of the four were thinking. "You had sugar, didn't you?" Alexis asked.

"...Maybe," the plum-headed woman replied, smiling enigmatically.

Annie sweat-dropped. "Okay...well...uh..." Now it was her turn to tell and she was blushing like mad.

Violet nudged Annie lightly in the ribs, grinning. "Come on, Annie. You said you would...and I'll tell mine, afterwards."

Annie swallowed. "Oh, brother...it's easier to listen and translate than tell..."

"It's okay, Annie. We won't laugh or make fun of you or anything." Alexis stated encouragingly.

"Okay...but this may shock you... Last night wasn't the first time we'd spun out of control but I think it's the closest we've come in reality," Annie began. "I know Sy doesn't look the type to get out of control, either, but… well, he's got… urges like every other guy on this campus. We had that wonderful dinner you helped make with Bastion and Professor Sartyr, Violet…"

The would-be chef grinned. "Thanks, Annie!"

"Thank you. Anyway, Sy loved the dinner and dessert last night, too, and we talked about how it was a good thing my broken ankle wasn't as serious as it could've been. He went and got my white nightshirt with the cap sleeves and I kissed him. He got me into the nightshirt and then got his pajamas on too and he climbed into bed. I guess we were both feeling kind of frisky because we started kissing hard and doing what we usually do. But I got feeling warm and had to get my nightshirt off. It got kind of hazy after that, but I remember getting his top off and just wanting whatever would happen to happen. Sy stopped us, fortunately," the dark-haired girl admitted shamefacedly.

"Annie, hang on, you're only human. Stuff happens," Alexis pointed out. "And what was going on… your body does send you signals that it's the best thing in the world. What matters is that you didn't go that far last night."

Annie groaned softly. "That's what Father Mulcahey told me this morning," referring to the priest at the church she attended back in Bellevue. "I called him to confess what's been going on… He's pretty cool for a priest. He tells you when you're worrying too much. And I worried last night. I panicked about what kind of sin I'd committed and freaked Sy out. And then… well, I told him about something Father Mulcahey suggested. It would be a quick ceremony that would have us married in all but name. But we aren't quite there yet. I think, in some ways, we sort of are married, already." Her face was a very deep pink. The pale, dark-haired girl was clasping her hands and twisting at her fingers, and her blue eyes radiated nervousness. Even though Father Mulcahey had told her not to worry about it, Annie still did worry about herself and what she was about to confess.

Each of the other three young women knew that when Annie was like this, she was about to admit to something big. "Annie… what's wrong? What happened?" Alexis asked, knowing the look too well, as the other members of the cadre did.

"Well… it's what hasn't happened in reality, but happened when… I fought the Grim Reaper and then entered your dreams, Violet and then Sy's… In the dream with Sy, well… um…" Annie again took a breath. "Well, in our shared dream… we got… intimate…" She half-expected something to come crashing down on her. The only thing that came crashing down on the once-rather shy Obelisk girl was silence for a long moment. "S-so, until now, only Sy, me, Father Mulcahey and God knew about that dream," she concluded. And then it was silent again for a long moment. 'Oh, what they must think of me,' her thoughts screamed at her. 'But… am I overanalyzing again?' she wondered.

The other young women in the room just looked at their friend, pairs of chocolate brown, hazel-brown and brilliant green eyes wide with surprise. Finally, Alexis blinked and broke the silence. "You mean...you guys had...in a dream..?" she asked, taken aback. 'Annie and Sy, of all of us,' she thought. 'It's just that they look so innocent. And Sy… I've known him all my life and he never has been a hormonal love machine! Sure he's been different with Annie, but… whoa!'

Annie nodded at Alexis's query, blushing furiously. "You mean you haven't dreamed about it?" she blurted out. It was a defense mechanism on her part. It was also understandable.

All three girls blushed to some extent. "M-Maybe," Violet answered, the other two nodding in agreement, their expressions clearly showing that they'd had some rather…interesting dreams.

Annie shrugged and smiled. "I have a feeling reality will be different but...it was...nice."

"So, Senorita Violet, what about you?" Rosa asked.

Violet blushed. "Well, it happened the night we came back from that dinner for Bastion-baby and me, too..." She told them about what had happened, and how the two had nearly gone all the way.

"Wow...and...Sy and I didn't hear a thing?!" Annie asked, slightly shaken. She ordinarily had ears like a bat's and could hear through the walls. 'Dang, I must be losing my touch!' she thought.

"Well, Bastion-baby and I didn't exactly hear you two last night," Violet pointed out.

"Good point...the soundproofing must be pretty good in our walls..."

"So...anything else we have to talk about?" Alexis asked.

Annie grinned. "WEDDING PLANS!!!" she whooped in a very un-Annie-like manner.

Violet blinked. "Ow...right, let's talk about those."

"Okay...so is everyone aware of Shirley the crocodile's desire to be a flower crocodile?" Annie asked, picking up a notepad and pencil from the coffee table they were sitting around.

The other girls nodded. "And since we can make up our own rules for this, would anyone mind also having Haylee being a flower girl?" Violet asked.

"Fine with me." Alexis replied, Rosa nodding.

"Agreed. Now...we just need two more flower girls or pets," Annie said thoughtfully.

"Wait, how many ministers or priests do we need?" Violet asked.

Annie thought quickly. "Well...we could get one minister...perhaps...non-denominational..."

"Yeah...'cause...what are you guys again?" Violet asked.

"I'm Catholic," Annie reminded her.

"So am I," added Rosa.

"I'm no particular denomination of Christian. Mom and Dad just took us to church," Alexis stated.

"And, of course, I'm Buddhist. Bastion's Christian, but he's also Pres… by… Annie, a little help?" Violet muttered, thinking.

"Presbyterian," Annie answered calmly. 'Violet's terrible when it comes to names,' she thought, smiling inwardly. "Sy's no particular denomination, either," she explained. "What about Jay and Tyson?"

"Well, Jaden is kind of mixed. His dad was raised Buddhist and still follows some of the traditions and his mom was raised Christian," Alexis stated.

"Ty-Ty is Methodist Christian," added Rosa, having learned more about her fiancé while in Texas.

"Okay...then...Rosa, we can't have a priest alone...Are you okay with us having a non-denominational minister?"

"What's that?" Violet piped up.

"A holy man who doesn't have ties to a particular denomination," Annie explained.

Rosa shook her head. "I do not mind," she answered.

Annie nodded. "Okay, then...We just have to figure out colors for our flowers, dresses, catering...this is going to be huge..." And so the brides-to-be discussed flowers and all sorts of things that go with a wedding. The idea that it would be at Duel Academy was now the permanent plan, with dancing to be in the gym and the actual ceremony to be held outside the main building. They also discussed the guest list, including Tyson's neighbors, the older duelists and their families, most of Duel Academy, the instructors and people they'd become very close friends with. "Okay...we've gotten some of the big kinks in the wedding taken care of...So...let's play a game," Annie grinned when they were through.

"All right. What's the game?" Alexis asked.

Annie's grin got wolfish. "Truth or Dare," she answered, stretching out on her part of the furniture.

"Oh boy...this should be good," Violet smirked, steepling her fingers.

"Yup," Alexis agreed, looking like a villainess.

"So who is going first?" Rosa asked.

Annie may have suggested the game, but now...she feared it. "Uh..." she stammered, much like her fiancé might. Fortunately, her best friend saved her.

"Me me me!" Violet exclaimed, glancing at each girl. "Annie...truth or dare?"

Annie blushed. As she couldn't move around much due to her ankle, she said, "Uh...truth..."

Violet thought for a moment. "Hmm...oh, did you dream of marrying anyone before Sy? And if so, who??" she asked as seriously as she could.

Annie thought carefully. "You know...I really didn't...I saw guys who were cute and...none of them looked like Sy. But...I never thought of marrying them," she answered.

"Mi turn! Senorita Alexis, truth or dare?" Rosa asked, grinning in a challenging way and leaning forward in her seat.

Alexis Harper Rhodes wasn't about to back down from a challenge. "Okay, I take dare!" she exclaimed, standing and posing much like her fiancé when he was faced with a challenge.

The Spanish girl thought for a few moments, then grinned and pulled a bag of chili peppers from her blazer pocket. "I dare you to eat one of these habanero peppers, y not drink anything for five minutes!"

"You're on," Alexis said, figuring that this would be easy. 'Jaden does it, so I can do it,' she thought, smirking with confidence. Rosa handed the dirty blonde Obelisk girl one of the peppers, grin becoming a smirk. Violet's eyes were wide, since she knew all about those spicy vegetables.

Annie's eyes bugged at the older girl's daring. "Alexis, be careful..."

"Hey, I can do this. I grew up with Atticus, remember?" Alexis smirked, supremely confident. She bit down, chewed and swallowed. And then her face got sweaty in thirty seconds.

"Er...Alexis, you okay?" Violet asked, sweat-dropping.

"I'll be okay," she panted. Annie's eyes narrowed in concern. "Alexis..."

Rosa glanced at the clock. "Only one minute and trienta… er, thirty seconds have passed, Senorita Alexis..."

By this point, Alexis's stomach was beginning to burn. "Oh, boy," she groaned.

"Alexis, do we need to call Miss Fontaine?" Annie asked, starting to get up from the couch.

"I'm...all right," the blonde girl answered, grimacing, placing a hand on her belly, sweat coming down her face.

The Spanish Obelisk didn't know the reaction would be this bad, and looked at the clock a moment later. "Two minutes and trienta seconds, Senorita Alexis," she stated.

Violet frowned. "Maybe you should just give up on the dare, Lex."

"I...won't...give up," Alexis groaned, eyes determined.

"Alexis," Annie groaned, seriously concerned that the habanero was burning a hole in her friend's GI tract.

"You're more stubborn than I am!" Violet stated, sighing.

A long moment later, Rosa checked the time once more. "Just trienta seconds left, Senorita Alexis."

Alexis gritted her teeth against the growing pain in her belly. "Oh...I think I'll need an antacid..."

Annie watched worried. "Hang in there..."

"Tres…dos…uno...all right! The time is up!!" Rosa shouted.

Annie quickly poured a dose of antacid which Alexis gratefully swallowed. "Okay... Rosa... truth or dare," Alexis grinned once her stomach had settled down, proving that no permanent damage had been done.

Rosa was never one to back down from a challenge, either. That's what happened when you grew up around five boys. "Dare!"

"I dare you to...go out on the balcony and yell at the top of your lungs...Winged Kuriboh is the smexiest monster ever!" the Queen of Obelisk whooped.

Rosa blinked a few times. "Que...?"

Violet grinned. "I'd so do that! Come on, Rosa!!" she cheered encouragingly. Rosa sighed and stood, going out to the balcony.

"GO ROSA!" Annie and Alexis shouted together from the couch, laughing.

And so Rosa took a deep breath. "WINGED KURIBOH IS THE SMEXIEST MONSTER EVER!!!" she shouted, leaning across the balcony.

"YEAH! I hope Jaden heard that!" Alexis grinned, sitting back on the couch, completely at ease.

Rosa sighed and went back inside, sitting down on the overstuffed leather couch. "Senorita Annie, you have not gone yet. You can do Senorita Violet," she stated. By this time, Violet was practically bouncing with excitement.

Annie grinned wickedly. "Okay, Violet...Truth or dare?"

"You know I'm gonna say dare!" the other girl replied eagerly.

Alexis looked at Annie, seeing clear mischief in the younger girl's eyes. "Annie? What are you thinking?"

"Oh...something really good...Violet, I dare you to crank call Dr. Crowler," Annie answered with a diabolical smile.

Violet blinked, then an evil grin crossed her features as she grabbed her PDA. "Annie, my oh-so-devious best friend, I love the way you think," she stated. Violet and Annie had managed to find all of the teachers' PDA and land line numbers for....their own uses. She now hit the speed dial button for Crowler's room.

In Vellian Crowler's room, said teacher was giving himself a manicure. His land line phone rang and he answered, "Hello, you've reached Dr. Crowler. How may I help you?"

Violet cleared her throat, and did an almost perfect impression of Crowler's voice. "What? But I'M Dr. Crowler! How dare you try and impersonate me!!" she retorted snootily.

On the other end of the line… "Who is this?" Crowler asked, his eyes going wide. "I do have caller ID, you know!"

'Yeah, too bad I already learned my lesson a while ago. Thank you, Annie for making my number say _Blocked Call_,' Violet thought, smirking. "I already told you, imposter. My name is Doctor Vellian Crowler, and I demand to know who YOU are! I swear when I find out, you're going to receive a month's worth of detention!!"

"No, YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE A MONTH'S WORTH OF DETENTION WHEN I GET THROUGH WITH YOU AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE TO CLEAN THE BOYS' BATHROOMS WITH A TOOTHBRUSH!" the teacher shouted, becoming enraged.

"DON'T YOU USE THAT TONE OF VOICE WITH ME, YOUNG LADY!!!" Violet shouted back, loving this.

Annie, Alexis and Rosa were laughing so hard, tears were streaming down their faces. Meanwhile... "YOUNG LADY?! HOW DARE YOU!" the vice-chancellor of Duel Academy shouted in what charitable students referred to as a Crowler Crack-Up.

"NO, HOW DARE YOU!! NO ONE IMPERSONATES ME AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!!! FOR I AM DOCTOR VELLIAN CROWLER WITH A P.H.D. IN DUELING!!" Violet thundered.

"No, you're one of my Obelisks!" Crowler shouted.

"And what makes you say that?" she replied indignantly.

"Who else would have my phone number?!" Crowler exclaimed.

"First of all, it's MY phone number. And second, I don't know, maybe some students who still hold a grudge?? Like YOU, for instance, who is STILL impersonating me!"

"Oh no..." Crowler picked up a special attachment to his PDA. "Whoever you are, I have just attached a device to my phone that will trace your number NOW!"

"Oh, crap!" Annie groaned.

"What?" Alexis asked.

"I don't know how to disable tracers!" Annie yelped, turning white and eyes going wide in sheer terror.

And so, Violet did the only thing she could think of. She tossed the PDA out the open window and into the bushes... where it rolled down the hill and into the lake. "Oops," she said, a crooked smile on her face, which did nothing to belie the terror in her eyes.

There was a spark of electricity where the PDA went under. "We are so dead," Annie groaned, face in her hands.

Violet sweat-dropped. "Err....so, how much detention do you think he's gonna give us?" she asked.

Alexis had a very frightened look on her face. "Uh...super-secret level 10 detention for a month..."

"Oh...I wish I were dealing with Sister Mary Charles," Annie groaned from her hands. "And I never thought I'd say that..."

"Who is that?" Rosa asked curiously.

"One of the toughest teachers at my old Catholic school," Annie said, shivering and lifting her head. "We had laypeople and nuns teaching at the school and Sister Mary Charles was schooled in old Catholic school discipline. You had to write 150 times what you weren't supposed to do, and then scrub the floors..."

Violet groaned, dropping onto her back. "This…is going…to suck," she muttered, sighing. Rosa frowned and nodded in agreement.

"It was my idea...I guess this is my penance...it was my idea," Annie said.

"Annie?" Alexis asked, puzzled.

"I'll take the blame...it was my idea," the blue-eyed young woman asserted stonily.

"So will I. Heck, I'm the one who did it!" Violet added.

"I as well. I did nada to stop it," stated Rosa. In other words, the three wanted to take the blame so Annie wouldn't get into trouble alone.

"Annie...we all did something," Alexis tried.

"No...I'm the one who suggested we crank call Dr. Crowler," Annie countered.

"Really, Annie, don't worry. We'll take the blame," Violet replied softly, placing a hand on her best friend's shoulder.

Annie shook her head. "No...you guys got back to class..." And then there was no more time to argue. There was an ominous knock at the door.

Violet's hair stood on end, and Rosa actually felt scared for one of the few times in her life. "So... wh-who's gonna answer it?" Violet asked nervously.

Alexis stood up. "I can..."

"N-no... I will..." Annie said, getting her crutches and clomping to the door. Sure enough, Doctor Crowler was behind the door, looking rather angry. Annie was suddenly grateful her heart condition was gone because she probably would be having an attack by now. Violet was peeking out fearfully from behind the coffee table, and Rosa was trying not to show her own fright at the teacher's expression.

"All right...who called me?" he growled softly.

"Uh...D-Doctor C-Crowler," Annie began, stammering. If there was any doubt just how much she could be like a certain small Obelisk male, there wouldn't be now.

"Don't blame her!" Alexis stepped in, eyes set.

"It was me, Dr. C!" Violet piped up, standing from her previously cowering position.

"I helped!!" Rosa added, also standing.

"N-no, guys...Dr. Crowler, it was my idea," Annie said. "Don't put them in detention..." she pleaded, meeting his blue eyes with her own clearly frightened ones.

"Annie, why?" he asked. "Tell me right now," he growled with an edge in his voice.

Annie swallowed. "W-well," she stuttered, trying to keep from crying.

Violet hated seeing her best friend like this, and quickly went to stand beside her. "Dr. Crowler, Annie may have suggested the idea. And heck, Alexis and Rosa may not have stopped me. But I'M the one who impersonated and made fun of you, as well as accidentally threw my PDA into the lake. If anyone here deserves detention, it's me. So do your worst!" she explained, crossing her arms over her chest.

Crowler looked thoughtful suddenly. "Just tell me why it happened."

Annie was trembling by now and the teacher came into the room and got the four young women to sit on the couch in the huge room. "Okay...why did you do it?"

"We were playing Truth or Dare," Alexis said firmly, her own eyes meeting his squarely.

"Is this true?" Crowler asked, running his gaze over Rosa and Violet.

They nodded. "Yeah, that's what happened," answered Violet.

"Si," Rosa agreed.

Crowler smiled in...amusement?! "Uh...Doctor Crowler?" Annie asked in shock.

"Sir, is everything okay?" Alexis added.

"Yeah, you look kinda funny," added Violet. And then, he started laughing.

"Eh...did I miss something??" Rosa asked, confused.

"I guess I've come across as a bit of a heavy, haven't I?" he said. "Since it was just a prank, I'll let it go this time...but if you pull anything like this on me again...you're all in big trouble..." The girls all looked at each other, stunned.

Rosa just stared, wide-eyed with shock. However, as what usually happens when Violet got excited or happy, a random moment occurred. She spontaneously jumped from her seat and tackle-hugged Dr. Crowler, a huge, goofy grin on her face. "Thanks, Dr. C! You rock!!"

Crowler fell backwards into the other couch, fortunately. "Um...thank you, Violet...now, I must remind you four not to be up too late. Annie, you're still recovering and trying to catch up. Alexis, I saw you nodding off yesterday afternoon during the lecture. Rosa, you're still getting weak and prone to tremors, and Violet, you still aren't as strong as you could be. Now, each of you need to get to bed," he said pointedly as he sat up.

"Oh...okay, Dr. Crowler...Thank you, sir," Annie said, still in disbelief.

"Yeah...thanks, Dr. Crowler," Alexis added, awed that they'd gotten off with a warning.

"Gracias, Dr. Crowler!" Rosa exclaimed as Violet released the Obelisk proctor.

He got up, bade them good night and left. "He...didn't...kill us?" Annie asked.

"No...I think we're still alive," Alexis answered quietly.

Violet pinched herself, then yelped quietly. "Yup, still alive," she repeated.

"That was...strange," Rosa stated, blinking.

"Yeah...Well...should we have our treats and call it a night?" Annie asked. She and Violet had spent most of the day being gourmet divas making some awesome cupcakes with chocolate and vanilla butter cream frosting. And they'd also made ice cream cupcakes and sorbet.

"Yeah! My sweet tooth's rebelling!!" Violet replied, grinning.

"Treats??" Rosa asked curiously.

"Yeah," Annie grinned happily. "Since Violet's training to be a chef, we made some different sweet treats. Alexis, could you help Violet bring them from your kitchenette?"

"Sure," Alexis said. "I hope there was enough room in the fridge..."

Violet practically skipped over to the fridge, and together she and Alexis brought out the sweet treats and set them on the coffee table. "Voila!" she cheered happily.

Rosa's eyes widened at the spread her friends brought from the kitchenette. "You...did ALL this...?"

Annie nodded. "Yeah...well, Violet did the legwork. I helped with stirring and decorating and timing..."

"I always say the best part about cooking...is the eating part!" Violet stated, grabbing a cupcake. Rosa picked up one of the ice cream cupcakes curiously.

"Yeah! Gosh, Annie, how you've had such a hard time gaining your weight back..." Alexis said.

"Yeah...I'm going to eat at least two cupcakes tonight!" Annie grinned.

"Just two? Man, I don't know how you can stick to that number," Violet replied, already reaching for another one. Rosa blinked, having only taken two bites out of hers.

"Everything okay, Rosa?" Alexis asked.

"Er...is it supposed to be frio?" she asked, a little confused. All the cupcakes she'd ever had were either hot or warm, never cold.

"Yeah, we made ice cream cupcakes as well as regular ones since Violet hates regular cake," Annie explained.

Violet nodded. "The only thing I like about cake is the frosting on top," she stated simply.

"Oh...right then." Rosa finished the strange cupcake and this time grabbed one of the ones she was used to eating instead.

Alexis gobbled down an ice cream cupcake a little bit too quickly. "Oh, yeah...ice cream headache..."

Violet, having finished her third in practically under a minute, suddenly winced. "Owowowow...OW!! Major, major, MAJOR BRAIN FREEZE!!!!" she yelped, clutching her aching head.

Annie closed her eyes in pleasure, enjoying every last bite of a chocolate cupcake after a vanilla one and an ice cream one. "Oh, this is great!"

Rosa nodded. "Si, these are muy delicioso!"

"Yeah," Alexis smiled. "Violet, can you teach me how to make this stuff? Jaden would go nuts!"

Her headache finally gone, Violet grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "You bet, Lex! Heck, I'm already teaching Bastion-baby how to cook. Maybe I should start a cooking class for this last year."

"It could be like our dance class last fall," Annie offered.

Rosa smiled. "You all were excellente students," she stated.

Annie blushed. Alexis smirked. "Yeah...Jaden's got some pretty good moves thanks to that!"

"So does Bastion-baby. I can teach you guys everything from sweets to meats to veggies!" Violet stated excitedly.

"I guess we learn to cook!" Annie said, smiling.

"Perhaps I could teach some Spanish recipes?" Rosa offered.

"Violet?" Annie and Alexis asked.

Violet blinked. "Huh? Oh! Right! Sure thing, Rosa!! That'd be cool!"

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Meanwhile, the four engaged young men sat around Jaden's Slifer dorm. "The place hasn't changed at all," Jaden grinned as they walked in. "And they aren't giving it up to anybody this year, either!"

"There isn't exactly anyone in Slifer much anymore to give it to, Jay," Syrus replied, climbing up to sit on the edge of his old bunk bed.

"Yeah, Sarge. There are always new Slifer barracks members, but they get promoted to higher barracks pretty quick," Tyson said, settling down on the floor.

"Yes...but Syrus...no one will take this room until the day we all graduate," Bastion said easily.

"Yeah, I know that. There sure are a lot of memories here," Sy replied, sighing.

"Yeah...remember how freaked we were when we came in here and met Chumley?" Jaden asked Sy, grinning.

Syrus grinned back, sweat-dropping. "Yeah, he got pretty angry when you opened the curtains..."

"Yeah. And he hated being a Slifer," Jaden remembered. Chumley had been angry and isolated when they'd met him, but so much changed in that one year as Jaden had discovered that Chumley had a duel spirit like he did.

"But he still managed to graduate, and got that job with Industrial Illusions," Sy answered, with a soft smile.

"Yeah...we all changed his life, he said. Remember, Bastion?" Jaden asked eagerly.

"Yeah...he didn't like me much at first because I was a Ra...Jaden? You changed that...you made it so rank doesn't matter anymore," Bastion said thoughtfully.

"Say what?" the Slifer asked, still not believing that he had made that much of a difference.

"He's right, Jay. I mean, you showed that a Slifer can be just as strong as-if not stronger than-a Ra or an Obelisk," Sy explained to his friend for what seemed like the millionth time.

Jaden rubbed across his nose. "Nah, I just dueled good..."

"Well, Jaden...you dueled well," Bastion said, attempting to correct his grammar.

"Yeah, that too!" Jaden said with his typical unaware grin.

Syrus sighed; some things never changed. "I also remember that night you slept over, Bastion," he stated.

"Yeah...the night before I dueled Chazz. And you two had the infamous paint war...'Look Sy! I'm Michelangelo! I'm painting on the ceiling!'" he imitated, laughing. "Jaden, that you actually knew who Michelangelo was..."

"Mom and Dad took me to a lot of art museums...I didn't get why the ceiling in a church had so many naked people on it," the brunette Slifer stated, still looking as confused as he had at the age of 9 when his parents had taken him to the Domino Museum to see the Michelangelo exhibit.

Syrus blushed lightly, then sighed. "Well, at least I got you back for that...even though we kind of dragged Bastion into it, too..."

Tyson grinned. "Oh, soldiers, I just got me an idea...how 'bout...PAINTBALL?!"

"Paintball?" Jaden and Bastion asked with varying degrees of trepidation.

Syrus blinked. "Paintball??" he repeated questioningly.

"Yeah! I got the paintball guns!" Tyson whooped.

"Guns?!" the Ra genius and Slifer slacker yelped.

"Uh, Tyson...where did you get paintball GUNS???" Sy squeaked.

"I talked to Private Violet...it gave her somethin' to do," Tyson admitted.

"Oh, that's what she was up to," Bastion said drily, cocking an eyebrow.

"Uh," Jaden said, eye twitching.

Syrus sighed. "I should have known," he muttered.

"Sweet! How do we do it?" Jaden grinned, suddenly eager to run around attacking people with paint.

"Tyson...how in the devil do you expect us to do this?" Bastion asked.

"We can go into the woods," Tyson shrugged.

"Er...don't you need some kind of protection when you play paintball?" Syrus asked nervously.

"Glad you asked. I got some cups from Commander Fontaine and I brought some flak jackets and goggles from home!" Tyson grinned eagerly.

Sy practically face-faulted off the bed; had Tyson thought of EVERYTHING?? "Uh...well, if Jay and Bastion are up to it, then I'll play, too..."

"And I brought helmets!" Tyson added cheerfully. He got on his gear, while the other three young men did too. Bastion had no trouble with the weight. Jaden and Sy, however, crashed to the floor.

"Uh...Tyson...this stuff's too heavy," Jaden groaned, falling over every time he tried to get up.

"I can't...move," Syrus stated, having it the worst. He couldn't move an inch in any direction.

"Oh, bugger...Tyson...perhaps we should try something else," Bastion suggested.

"Yeah...any suggestions, guys?" Tyson asked, realizing he'd mentally underestimated just how heavy the gear was. 'Syrus might be able to lift Private Annie, but he just ain't big enough for these jackets,' he thought, frustrated with himself.

"I might be able to think of something...once someone helps me up," Syrus pleaded, muffled slightly from the big flak jacket.

Together, Bastion and Tyson got the gear off of Jaden and Syrus. "Are you two all right?" Bastion asked.

"I so need to work out more," Jaden commented, feeling much better now that the stuff was off him. "Okay, Sy...what should we do?" he asked his best friend.

"Well...how about a board game?" Sy offered. "I mean, we duel all the time and Jaden, let's face it, you'd kill all three of us. Whoever had you as a tag partner would win too. So a board game would give us all an equal chance…"

"That sounds fine, but let's not play Trivial Pursuit. Bastion would kill us with that game," Jaden said, grinning.

"Okay," Tyson grinned.

"Excellent," Bastion added, glad to possibly have a game where no one would be outmatched.

Just then, they heard a yell over the wind through the open window of the room. "WINGED KURIBOH IS THE SMEXIEST MONSTER EVER!"

"Rosa?" Tyson exclaimed. Jaden's eyes widened and he was rendered speechless.

Syrus blinked a few times. "...Maybe...it was just the wind?" he offered.

Winged Kuriboh appeared, bouncing around excitedly. Yubel appeared as well. Winged Kuriboh trilled at the winged monster as if to say, "I'm cute and everyone loves me!"

Yubel sweat-dropped. "Yes, yes, we know, Winged Kuriboh. As far as anyone can tell you're the most-loved duel monster out there," she replied, sighing. She'd grown to like the monsters in Jaden's deck, but sometimes creatures like Winged Kuriboh got on her nerves. And admittedly, there were times Yubel just wanted to smack the cute little monster.

Winged Kuriboh bounced around again happily. "They're probably playing Truth or Dare or something," Jaden observed.

"That's possible...but who came up with the game?" Bastion wondered.

"Yeah...Rosa wouldn't," Tyson said.

"Lex might," Jaden theorized.

"Violet, most likely...unless Annie thought of it first," Bastion added, realizing that while his fiancée might be the most likely person to pull off a prank, his surrogate sister might think it up.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they made a prank call or two," added Syrus, knowing Annie's mind all too well.

"Who would they..?" Bastion began and then stopped.

"Doctor Crowler...may the Great General have mercy on their souls," Tyson said in slight fear.

"I hope they don't get into too much trouble," Sy murmured, worried for his fiancée.

"Dr. Crowler's cool now!" Jaden grinned easily. "He wouldn't go nuts on us."

"I guess you have a point, Jay. So, about that board game..?" Syrus asked.

"Yeah...what have we got?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah, Private! What do we have to play?" Tyson added with the eagerness of a puppy.

"I'm definitely not in the mood for 2-D or tridimensional chess," Bastion concluded.

Syrus blinked. "Tridimen...what??"

Bastion sighed. "Never mind..."

"It's a Star Trek thing isn't it?" Jaden wondered.

"How did you know?" Bastion asked, stunned.

"We hear a lot from Private Annie," Tyson pointed out.

"Well, Jay, do we still have the old board games here we used to play with?" Sy asked, looking toward the game closet.

Jaden moved to the closet, opening it. "Yeah! I'm glad I didn't move these yet! So...what do we play?"

Syrus hopped off of the bed and went to stand beside Jaden. "Which ones do we have again? It's been so long..."

"Pictionary, Monopoly, Clue, Trivial Pursuit...thank you, Bastion..." Bastion nodded, remembering when he'd given them the game. "Battleship," Jaden continued.

"Oh, a Navy game," Tyson grinned.

And then one game caught Syrus's eye and he grinned. "Hey...what about LIFE? I mean, we ARE going to be getting married soon..."

To everyone's surprise, Bastion started cracking up. "Private Misawa?" Tyson asked, surprised.

"Uh...Bastion, are you okay?" Jaden added getting a bit concerned. Bastion kept laughing.

Syrus blinked a few times, frowning. "Bastion...?"

"I shouldn't have seen that episode of Robot Chicken!" the tall Ra said when he caught his breath. "They spoofed the game!"

"Robot what?" Tyson asked, not remembering the show.

"Robot Chicken!" Jaden grinned, also knowing of the same show and realizing which episode Bastion was thinking of. "Oh, yeah...that was so...wrong!"

Syrus thought for a moment, then laughed, too. "Oh, that's some kind of twisted irony..."

"Yeah," Jaden said, calming down.

"Sarge, guys, do I even wanna know?" Tyson asked.

"No, Tyson...you'll never see the game the same way again," Bastion said gravely as Sy reached and got the game box down from the shelf.

"Trust me, it's better if you don't know. Do you guys still want to play, though?" Syrus asked.

"Yup," Jaden said, smiling.

"Of course," Bastion added.

"You bet," Tyson added.

"Well, let's set it up, then," the small Obelisk replied, setting the box down on the floor.

The young men all sat down on the floor and began to play. "All right, I won the lottery!" Jaden cheered a few turns later. "And I'm a brain surgeon!" That last earned a few snickers.

Syrus sighed. "My house was destroyed in a flood...but, at least I had house insurance!"

"And I just lost a great deal of money in the stock market...However, I invested other money wisely," Bastion said. "My wife and twins are quite happy."

"And I'm workin' construction!" Tyson said, spinning the wheel. "And I just got promoted!"

"Well, Sy...Insurance will help you and your family," Jaden soothed.

"Yeah, I guess so..." Syrus spun the wheel a moment later and grinned. "Whoa! I just won 10,000 dollars on a game show!!"

"Sweet!" Jaden grinned. He spun the wheel and then grinned at what happened. "My wife and I just moved into a really nice neighborhood."

Bastion spun the wheel. "Oh, bugger...another child...I guess we'll have more than two..."

Tyson spun. "About time! My girl and I are gettin' married..."

Syrus grinned at that and spun, then his jaw dropped when he landed on a particular square. "Tr-Triplets?!"

The other guys looked at each other and then back at Sy. "Sy...it's not real life," Jaden pointed out. "Since you haven't done anything, it can't happen yet."

Sy, however, sweat-dropped. "I know. But it's still surprising, even in the game..."

"Three at a time...Whoo-wee," Tyson said, spinning. "Oh, gosh...We're gettin' our first baby," he grinned sheepishly.

"Congrats, Tyson," Syrus joked as he spun the wheel. "Uh-oh. I broke my leg playing football as a professional athlete..."

The three other guys laughed. "Thankfully, this is the fictional game of LIFE," Bastion said. "Because, Syrus, if this were real life, you would probably get a great deal more than a broken leg." And then he spun the wheel. "Oh, great...my company just got sued..."

"Aw, of all the cotton-pickin'!" Tyson growled. "I just got audited by the IRS and have to pay a penalty..."

"Which is worse," Jaden asked half-jokingly, "the IRS or a shadow game?"

Syrus blinked, then thought for a moment. "I'd say a shadow game, Jay."

"I don't know...the IRS can try to get you beyond the grave," Bastion said, totally deadpan. The other two started laughing. "Sy...we all know a shadow game is horrible! I was joking a little," Jaden said, holding up his hands and laughing.

Sy sighed yet again. 'I do a lot of that,' he thought. "You joke so much, Jay, that sometimes it's hard to tell whether you're serious or not," he explained out loud.

"Yeah...do I need to tone it down?" Jaden asked, looking around at his closest guy friends.

"I don't know. I mean, it's not really a bad thing...is it, guys?" Syrus asked the other two.

"No," Bastion said.

"Nuh-uh," Tyson added.

"So, I mean, it's up to you if you want to, Jay," Sy concluded.

"Well...I'll think about it...but I promise I won't turn totally emo or go psycho on everybody," Jaden stated after a moment of serious thought.

Syrus grimaced just at the thought of his best friend going on an emo psychotic rampage. "That would be...really weird."

"Yeah, Sarge...you goin' emo...yikes," Tyson said, shivering at the mental image of a potentially evil or extremely moody Jaden.

"Definitely not you," Bastion added, taken aback at the image.

"That's more of Chazz's thing," Syrus joked, grinning.

"Chazz isn't so emo anymore, now that he's in the red blazer," Jaden countered, grinning back. "He actually said, 'being a Slifer Slacker isn't so bad.'"

Sy blinked. Even though he'd seen the changes, it was still something to hear that Chazz no longer openly complained about being a Slifer. "Really?"

"Jaden, that's...extraordinary," Bastion said, also a bit stunned.

"Yeah...Sam Hill," Tyson breathed.

"Scout said he'd probably feel better in the red blazer when he said he wanted to put it on," Jaden said simply. "She said it when Lex got home from the hospital. She told him, 'Honey, you look just fine in black and no matter what you wear, Daddy and I love you. But red is one of the colors that makes a person feel happy, and I think you might feel better in the red blazer.' He actually agreed with her about that, and said that's why he wanted to put on the blazer. He said he felt better."

"Wow. I never thought Chazz would say that," Syrus replied, awed.

"Yeah...this summer changed him, though. He's acting different...I mean he's still Chazz," Jaden said kindly.

"But having a real family did him some good," Sy answered.

"Yeah, I'll say," Bastion said. "I don't think he's ever been happier...Atticus mentioned how Chazz was at Duel Academy Prep and it's amazing, he said..."

"Well, I'm glad he's changed for the better," added Syrus, smiling.

"Yeah..." Finally the board game finished.

"Sam Hill, I am glad that's not real life," Tyson breathed, glad that he'd been moderately successful at it.

"Oh, I don't know...that seems rather tame to what we go through," Bastion pointed out.

"Yeah...nothing about when Duel Monsters attack," Jaden added with a groan.

"Or vampires that hold grudges," Syrus stated, sweat-dropping.

"Or...shall we talk about something else?" Bastion asked, not wanting to relive the summer.

"Good point, Private Bastion," Tyson said, also sweat-dropping. The last thing any of them wanted to think about was the summer that had nearly ended their subjectively short lives.

"Yeah, good idea. So...anyone have any ideas?" Sy inquired.

"Well...how about semi-married life?" Jaden suggested.

"That sounds good," Bastion said.

"Yeah, really good," Tyson agreed.

"So, have any of the girls made you guys do laundry yet?" Syrus asked, grinning.

Jaden nodded. "Well, Lex and I did it together and she made sure we sorted very carefully."

"Rosa did it, and then...well, I've gotten right sloppy lately," Tyson admitted and told them about the unpleasantness when he'd left his stuff very disorganized.

"Violet and I seem to have the opposite problem," Bastion grinned sheepishly. "I clean up after her..."

"Annie and I are both pretty organized, so we didn't have to worry about that sort of thing..." Syrus explained, glad he hadn't had to like the other guys.

"Lucky," Tyson said clearly. "Rosa wasn't happy at all with my...slackin'..."

"So...what about other stuff?" Jaden asked. "How about getting ready in the morning?"

"Well, Annie and I are both early risers, even though she gets up before me. I usually help her in the morning if she needs it," Syrus explained simply.

"Violet is very independent," Bastion said. "Once she was all right, she didn't want me to help."

"Lex is the same way," Jaden mentioned. "And I quote… 'Jaden, back off! I can do this myself!!'" he said in an approximation of his fiancée's voice.

"So's Rosa...She likes havin' me help her to a point, but oh, I'd better not cross that line!" Tyson added, looking unnerved.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "It seems like Rosa holds the authority in your relationship, Tyson..."

"Watch it, Private! I wear the pants in our relationship!" Tyson growled menacingly.

The bluenette grinned sheepishly and scooted closer to Jaden, holding his hands up defensively. "I-I didn't mean anything by it, really! I was just saying..."

"What were you sayin'?" Tyson growled again, eyes flashing dino.

"Now, Tyson..." Bastion tried to sooth, realizing that he had to be the one to intervene, "I think what Syrus is saying is that you each have authority in certain areas. There are lines I don't cross with Violet..."

"Same with me and Lex," Jaden added. "Right, Sy?"

"Y-Yeah, there are things I can't even cross the line with when it comes to Annie," he replied.

"Such as?" Tyson wondered, cooling down and getting control of himself.

"Well, I kind of learned the hard way not to set the alarm later than six on a school day..."

"How late did you set it for?" Bastion and Jaden asked curiously.

"Seven...that's when I usually wake up for school. She got really mad... Well, really mad for her, anyway…"

"Annie? Angry?" Jaden asked, stunned. "But she's so calm, usually...except the time when Violet messed with her chocolate...And she hasn't been back to class yet..."

"I know, but, I guess she still likes to wake up early. She starts her day with yoga and a shower, so I guess that's why..."

"Oh, yes...Violet was rather perturbed that morning," Bastion recalled. "She was none too happy when Annie was...actually yelling at you..."

"So, yeah, I learned my lesson the hard way. I haven't touched the alarm clock since," Sy grinned sheepishly. And so the guys discussed the fine art of compromise, their future families and how they all wished Duel Academy had a male nurse for… awkward conversations. After all, Miss Fontaine might be a registered nurse, but she was also a very attractive woman.

When Jaden mentioned something about becoming a responsible adult, Bastion stood up and headed over to the window. "Hmmm… don't see them… And no flames… No destruction…"

"Uh…what?" Jaden asked, stunned.

"The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Jaden. I thought for sure that the day you talked about being responsible would be the day the world ended," the British-Japanese-American Ra said half-seriously. And every human in the room and the unseen duel spirits laughed.

Jaden cracked up. "Me being responsible is a sign of the end of the world?"

"Possibly," Bastion said, his lips quirking into a smile.

Syrus laughed, too. "It is different, but it's true. You're a lot more responsible now than you were when we first met."

"Guess we're all growing up...uh-oh...Oh, well," Jaden grinned sheepishly.

"What is it, Jay?" Sy wondered.

"I just can't believe I'm actually growing up... Mom said it would happen, though she wondered if I ever would grow up," Jaden commented.

"Hmmm...wonder why?" Bastion joked. Tyson merely snickered.

Syrus stifled his own quiet laughter, grinning. "Some people just have a larger inner child than others, I guess..." They discussed the upsides and downsides of growing up, and then looked at the clock.

They all nodded. "Oh, shoot! We'd better skedaddle back to the Obelisk barracks before curfew!! Don't want to be AWOL!" Tyson said.

"Yeah, let's go!" Bastion added.

"Oh, right! Let's get going!!" Syrus shouted, jumping to his feet.

"Yeah!" Jaden as usual, tore in front of the pack and kept on running.

Bastion and Tyson weren't far behind, but Syrus was having some difficulty keeping up. "Hey, guys! I think we have a problem!!" he called, almost a yard behind, panting.

Tyson ran back for his friend. "A Hassleberry doesn't leave a man behind," he said, pulling Sy up on his back. "I'll carry you!"

Syrus yelped in surprise, grabbing onto the collar of Tyson's blazer. "Uh, thanks, Tyson!"

They got back to the dorm in plenty of time and headed back to their dorm rooms. "Lex? Babe? I'm back," Jaden called.

Alexis poked her head out of the bathroom and smiled, already in a white tank top and orange pajama bottoms. "Hey Jay, the girls all went back to their rooms. Did you enjoy your night out with the guys?" she asked, walking over to kiss his cheek.

"Yeah, it was lots of fun. We played the game of LIFE...did you guys play Truth or Dare?"

She nodded, going to sit on the bed. "Yeah, how did you know?"

"We heard someone yelling about Winged Kuriboh...and Yubel wasn't quite sure what to make of it..."

Alexis sweat-dropped. "I dared Rosa to do that. Payback for what she dared me to do," she explained.

"What'd she make you do?" he asked, heading to his drawer and getting his pajamas (this evening's selection an Avian print).

"I had to eat a habanero pepper and not drink anything for five minutes. My stomach's still a little messed up from that..." Jaden checked if she needed more stomach medicine and then helped her to bed.

"Okay...you know...being back there was kind of fun," he admitted when they were cuddled in the big queen-size bed.

"Well, there are a lot of memories there," she smiled knowingly.

"Yeah...I miss it there...I mean I like being with you..."

"It's okay, Jaden. I know you miss being there. I'd be surprised if you didn't..."

"Yeah...did you really like it down there when you were living there?"

"Yeah. It was nice down there...peaceful. Plus, I was closer to you and the other guys."

Jaden propped himself up on an elbow and asked, "Really? You didn't mind the cockroaches?"

Alexis sweat-dropped. "Well, Chazz had his room sprayed a few times to keep them out..."

"Yeah? Sorry we couldn't do that," the brunette Slifer apologized, lying back down.

"It's all right," she replied, yawning and cuddling into his side.

"I just wish...but you deserved to be in the better dorm...better than I could give you," he said, flushing a little.

"Jaden, if it had been okay to stay in your dorm, I would have," she whispered, kissing his cheek again.

"It would've been...I mean...we did have...Blair," he shivered in horror, remembering the little girl, now a student at Duel Academy, who had successfully infiltrated the school.

She also shivered a little. "Don't remind me..."

"Yeah... If there's one reason besides being absolutely crazy about you that I don't mind being out of Slifer, it's that I'm here and she's down there!"

"Yeah, I feel bad for that new first year Ra. I think his name's Marcel. She follows him around even more than she used to with you..."

Jaden wiped his brow in relief. "What's his full name? Do you know?"

"No, actually. Maybe we can try and find out in the morning. I think he's French," Alexis said thoughtfully.

"Hmmm...maybe he learns a lot from Bonaparte since they're from the same country..."

"Maybe," she replied through another yawn.

Jaden yawned too. "Man...that's a good idea, Lex..." he pulled the blanket over them and they drifted off almost immediately.

Meanwhile..."Rosa, darlin', I'm back," Tyson called as he came into his and Rosa's room.

Rosa was lying on the bed in a yellow nightgown, and had been drifting off. However, when Tyson called out, she woke and sat-up. "Hola, Ty-Ty."

"Hey...you're wearin' yellow...my yellow rose of Texas." With his accent, it came out, "Yellow Rosa Texas."

She blinked a few times, but then the real meaning registered and she smiled. "And you are mi big, strong protector," she replied, standing and giving him a deep kiss.

He kissed back. "Did you gals have fun?"

She nodded. "Si. It was muy interesante." And she told him about the dares and the near-disaster with Dr. Crowler. Tyson was very surprised to know that no one would be in detention, and that the notoriously tough instructor had actually laughed upon understanding the nature of the prank. And so he got he got his pajamas on, and soon both of them were asleep.

Up on the third floor, Bastion and Syrus walked into their dorm room. "Annie! I think all the blood's rushing to my head!!"

Syrus blinked, both young men recognizing Violet's voice. "Uh, Annie? Violet??" he called.

"Hey, guys," Annie said sleepily but nervously, coming into the main room on her crutches. "We had a lot of sugar," she explained shamefacedly.

"Oh, bugger," Bastion groaned, knowing this could get ugly. Syrus instinctively took a step away from Bastion, just as Violet ran over and tackled him to the ground.

"Bastion-baby! You're back!! HOORAY!!!" she cheered happily, hugging him tightly.

"Ooof...hello, darling..." Bastion said as he crashed to the floor. Annie stayed at the door of her bedroom.

Syrus walked over to his fiancée and sighed. "How much sugar did she have?" he dared to ask.

"A lot," Annie whispered, worried.

Syrus groaned. "Isn't there a way we can calm her down?" he asked quietly. She nodded, praying this would work.

Violet was still clamped around Bastion's waist. "Hey, hey, hey, Bastion-baby! Guess what!!"

"Er...what is it, love?" Bastion asked.

Violet blinked. "Uh...oh yeah! Now I remember!! I HAD SUGAR!! YAY!!!"

"Uh...Violet? Let's get you some warm milk," Annie tried, really hoping that this tactic would work.

Violet blinked a few times. "Warm milk...? Never tried that before! Sure!!" she answered excitedly, practically bouncing off the walls like a manic Super Ball.

Annie and the others headed to the kitchenette and Sy got the whole milk out of the fridge. "Okay, Sy, pour enough for a mug into a small pot and put it on the stove over medium heat," Annie instructed.

"Bastion, get Violet's favorite mug out."

"All right," Bastion answered, getting the mug.

Syrus did as Annie had told him, and soon the milk was warming up over the stove. "I hope this works...how did she get so much sugar, anyway?" he asked curiously.

"We made cupcakes, ice cream cupcakes and sorbet. She ate three ice cream cupcakes..."

"Well, that's not so bad...but, it's still not a good thing," Sy groaned.

"Yeah...and I have a sneaking suspicion she had other stuff today."

Once Bastion had done what he had to do, he headed back to the living area and had a loopy Violet petting his hair. "Er, Violet, what are you doing?" he wondered, feeling rather unnerved at what she was doing.

Violet sent him one of her goofiest grins. "Your hair is REALLY smooth, Bastion-baby! And it's like a roller coaster!! It goes UP and DOWN and UP!!!" she said seriously, running her hand along the top of his hair as she said this.

Fortunately, the milk was beginning to steam so Annie whispered, "Sy, get the mug." Syrus sweat-dropped and grabbed the mug, pouring the warm milk into it from the pot.

"Okay...here's your milk, Violet," Annie said as Sy set the mug down on the table.

"Okay, drink this all, won't you?" Bastion asked his love, really hoping it would knock her out.

Violet grinned. "Okay!" She grabbed the mug and downed the entire thing in practically thirty seconds. Annie, Sy and Bastion crossed their fingers, knowing what warm milk could do to a person. "That was great! First time I've ever tried it!!" Violet stated, leaning back in her seat on the couch. A minute or so later, she barely stifled a yawn.

"I think it's working," Syrus whispered to Annie.

"Okay, darling, shall we get you to bed now?" Bastion asked gently.

"Yeah...bed...yay," Violet mumbled tiredly, leaning against him with her eyes half-closed.

Bastion led her to the bedroom, grateful she was already in pajamas. "There we go...I'm guessing you had lots of fun, darling..."

Violet practically fell onto the bed, yawning and stretching a little. "Yeah, it was great...we talked, played Truth or Dare, ate cupcakes...."

"Yeah? Well, we played the game of LIFE..."

"Oh...did ya win?"

"I think we all won...and will win in the real game...I was a successful businessman."

"Well, maybe it's a sign you'll be a good businessman with our restaurant."

"I hope so, darling," he said as he got his pajamas on. He told her about the rest of the guys' night out as he got into his pajamas with the Star Trek symbol on the left breast pocket, including the more embarrassing parts. And soon, they were asleep as well.

Annie and Sy, meanwhile, were awake in the other bedroom. "Did you have fun?" she asked as they sat on the bed.

"Yeah. We played LIFE, ate, and talked a little," he replied, getting his uniform off.

"How'd you do at the game of LIFE?" she asked.

"Well, my house was flooded, but I had insurance. And then my wife had triplets. And then, I won 10,000 dollars on a game show. Oh, and I broke my leg in football as a professional athlete."

She smiled as they stretched out on their bed. "Well, neither of us is a pro athlete, Domino isn't on a flood plain, and we could win on a game show. As for the triplets...I wouldn't mind..."

He blushed. "It would be hard, but...I don't think I'd mind, either..." They talked more about their evening and Sy helped Annie get into a lavender nightgown. He got her pain medication and helped her get comfortable in the bed. He climbed into bed beside her, and pulled the covers over them.

Annie was drifting off quickly, thanks to the medication. "Mmmm...."

Syrus smiled a little, hugging her close and kissing her forehead. "I love you, Annie..." Her eyes were closed and she muttered something incoherent as she drifted off. It seemed all would be peaceful tonight.

_So Violet was high on sugar… and no one died. One wonders what it would be like if she, Jaden and Atticus were high on sugar or, God forbid, drunk at the same time… Okay, perhaps we don't want to know. And there was no bad guy invasion. That would be terrible if it happened to the gang again. So it didn't. Well, next time, please join us for "The Ra Mystery." Thank you and please keep reading and reviewing!_


	11. Disruption

Chapter XI: Disruption

_Hello again, dear fans! We are so sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up, but unfortunately, Peach Wookiee's computer had a catastrophic crash and all data on said computer was lost. So we have begun a major reconstruction of the tale you have enjoyed. So Peach and Ani thank you for your patience and understanding. Thank you for all your reviews and for continuing to read! So, onto the newest chapter!_

_Last time, the guys and girls had a night out and the girls got into more mischief than the guys. Dr. Vellian Crowler actually took a prank call in stride and let Violet, Alexis, Rosa and Annie off with a warning. Violet later had a major sugar high and some warm milk got her to sleep. It seemed the night would be peaceful. So what will happen next? Stay tuned!_

_**Disclaimer: Hmmm… **_**Peach and Ani check what they own and don't own… **_**Nope. We still don't own GX or its characters. We just own our OCs and this storyline. Thanks for your attention!**_

_Authors' note: In this chapter, we introduce Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as something each of the gang, to some degree, might have. But Jaden seems, at this moment, to be suffering from it the worst. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is caused by physical and/or psychological trauma. This has become highly publicized in recent years because of the number of military members who suffer from it. If you'd like to learn more about PTSD, check out Wikipedia, the Mayo Clinic website or many other fine medical websites. _

_Also, we should point out that the guys might seem a bit out of character here. You'll see why and we hope you don't mind terribly. This part of the story will also be a Jaden-heavy arc. Thank you._

The most peaceful of nights can be disrupted by the most terrorizing of nightmares. A happy dream can become distorted into a mental war zone where no one is safe. And after the four couples had their joyous night out, a nightmare visited Rosadina Terelino Jimenez-Rodriguez. Tyson Hassleberry was awakened by his bride-to-be tossing and turning, mumbling in her sleep. "Rosa? Rosa!" he called out.

"...dark...fire..." Rosa mumbled in a terrified tone, deaf to her fiancé's calls. Darkness gripped her mind, planting a fear in her worse than her previous nightmares. She was alone in a dark void, unable to sense anything at all but the dead silence. It almost felt like water, even though she was completely dry. "T-Tyson...?" she called out, shivering. It unnerved her, being helpless like this. And then, fierce heat was at her back. Whipping around, her eyes snapped wide and she screamed as a large fireball engulfed her body in flames. A similar scream tore itself from her in reality, sweat beading her brow.

In the real world, Tyson gripped her shoulders. "Rosa?! Rosa, wake up, darlin'!" The scream from his beloved rent his soul. 'She's havin' the nightmare again!' his mind screamed. "Rosa, the snake ain't got you!" he called out.

"...burning..." Rosa groaned, body actually feeling warm to the touch. The nightmare was so real, thanks to some shadow magic that her body was giving off a real reaction to it. The flames didn't hurt Rosa like they should have, however. It felt more like dozens of creatures gnawing at her.

Tyson, in the real world, grabbed his PDA. "Rosa! Spanish Rose! I'm right here! Jorge's... Sam Hill!" he yelped, feeling how hot she was. "Darlin', wake up! And then I'm callin' Miss Fontaine!" He shook her again, trying to restore her to consciousness. And whether it was something Tyson said or the fact that Darkness had delivered his message, Rosa's eyes flew open and she drew in a shuddering breath. She was shaking like a leaf, a rare action for her, and looked like she'd seen a ghost...or worse. Her body was still warm, and tingled with the subconscious feeling of being eaten alive in her nightmare. And, strangely, her ears were ringing with a sound close to laughter. When her eyes snapped open, Tyson held her to him. "Shhh... darlin', I'm right here," he murmured. "You're okay... was it Jorge and the snake again?" he asked, noting that she was beginning to cool down.

His question surprised her; the old had been entirely stomped out by this new terror. "Who..? No... n-no... Not them," Rosa muttered, leaning into him as much as she could and trying to calm down. She hated stuttering and feeling frightened, but at the moment spoke her native tongue without a second thought.

He held her in a strong and yet surprisingly gentle embrace, lying down with her. Automatically, he switched to Spanish. "What was it..? You're shakin' terribly..." And that shook him mentally. 'If that wasn't what scared her, what did?' he thought.

She closed her eyes at the memory of her recent nightmare, but quickly opened them again for fear of it returning. "I...I'm fine," she said first, though still in Spanish. But Rosa knew that he'd still want to know what she had dreamt about. So she told him...about the darkness, the fire, the feeling of something trying to eat her.

Tyson's face tightened a little, and he frowned in concern. 'What do I do?' he thought, rubbing her back. "Darlin', it's gonna be okay... I'm right here... Do you want me to get Miss Fontaine?"

"NO!" Rosa answered instantly, tensing. The last thing she wanted was for everyone to get worried again, especially after things were finally settling down. "I mean...no, I'm fine. Really," she repeated, at last reverting to English.

Tyson jerked back slightly at the intensity in her tone at first. And then he relaxed slightly. "Are you sure? I've never seen you be so terrified," he explained, still concerned.

She frowned; she'd never FELT so terrified. "I'm sure... It was just a nightmare. I'll forget about it tomorrow and be fine; it's not the same as last time."

Tyson yielded the point rather reluctantly. She was so pale and frightened, it actually scared him. "Okay, but if you have that again... Darlin', remember, we can be strong for each other..." He stroked her face and hair gently with one hand.

He would later regret saying that, but for now it was a good statement. She leaned into his touch, nodding slightly. "Si... I know, Ty-Ty. Let's go back to sleep..."

"Okay," he answered as she snuggled against him. But Tyson Schwarzkopf Hassleberry lay awake in the darkness for nearly an hour after Rosa's soft rhythmic breathing told him she was sleeping. 'If this is a threat,' he mentally prayed, 'Great General, help me fight it. I ain't gonna lose her... I can't!' And finally, he let sleep come to him. The young man's dreams were rather disturbing to him, but he didn't remember what they were when he woke up on Sunday morning.

Rosa turned out to be partially correct; she had slept peacefully, but the nightmare still haunted her. Nevertheless, she pushed it to the back of her mind and smiled at Tyson when he finally opened his eyes. "Buenos dias, Ty-Ty," she said, kissing him.

"Mornin', Spanish Rose," he greeted, kissing back. He searched her face, remembering her terror in the night. He could see the slight fear in her eyes. "Are you feelin' better?" he asked softly.

She nodded. "Si. Much better. I told you it would be fine..."

Tyson looked her straight in the eyes. "Rosa," he began and then paused, collecting his thoughts. "Rosa, that really scared you, didn't it?" he asked in Spanish, no anger in his voice, just concern.

Rosa paused herself, looking at him. She knew he was only worried about her, but sometimes she wished he wouldn't do it so much. "....Yes. But isn't that what nightmares do? The others scared me, but nothing bad happened," she answered in Spanish.

"But... last night... was different," he said.

He knew it. She knew it. But she pretended not to. "How?"

He took a deep breath, keeping his emotions in check. "Rosadina... you have never been that frightened by a nightmare. I know it. Even after what Jorge did, you weren't tremblin' from the nightmares like that..." He rarely used the full form of her first name, and this was when he desperately needed her to know how worried he was for her.

Her gaze turned downward along with the corners of her mouth, knowing what he said was true. And that was what bothered her. She was scared...and in turn was scaring him. "You're right... But Tyson, I'm not scared now like I was last night. I'm over the nightmare and just fine...really," she tried yet again.

Tyson knew all too well that Rosa was lying to him now, and he hated it. But he knew why she was lying to him, and that made it worse. So he decided to try something else. "Darlin', I know somethin's botherin' you... And when you're ready to tell me, I'll listen. If you're worried about scarin' me, you're only gonna scare me more by keepin' it in... I've told you before, you don't have to be strong all the time. Just like I don't..."

Rosa looked into his eyes, relief filling her at the fact that he was going to drop the subject...for now, at least. She smiled a little, trying to reassure him. She really wasn't as scared as she had been, so she wasn't fully lying. "All right. And I know, Ty-Ty...I'll never forget that. It was the first thing you taught me."

He grinned and kissed her again. "Hey, shall we go get some breakfast?"

Her stomach let out a low growl, and she blushed lightly. "Good idea. Though...shall we get dressed first?"

"Good idea," he answered. And so they got showers, got dressed and headed to breakfast. They arrived at the spacious white Obelisk dining hall, which had long tables set up for Sunday brunch.

"Hey, guys!" Jaden called cheerfully from the table where he, Alexis, Syrus, Annie, Violet, Bastion, Chazz, Atticus, Jesse, Adrian, Jim and Axel were congregated.

Rosa and Tyson joined them at the table, both looking a bit more tired than the others. "You missed it! We were just talking about all of the crazy stuff we did last night!" Violet stated cheerfully, grinning.

Tyson sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly. The guys who hadn't been at the party were cracking up. "I still can't believe you guys pranked Crowler and he didn't get you in trouble!" Adrian chuckled. He may not have been at Duel Academy Central very long, but already he knew that Dr. Crowler wasn't someone to be crossed. 'I may be cocky, but I'm not stupid," he mentally reflected, absently running a hand through his spiky red hair and then straightening his glasses.

"I know. We all thought for sure he was going to give us the worst detention possible," Alexis replied, sweat-dropping.

Syrus grinned sheepishly. "It's kind of funny how we hardly did anything compared to what they did... I mean, mischief-wise..."

Annie flushed, matching her fiancé's expression. "Yeah... what's up with that?"

All of the guys looked at each other, wondering the same thing. Violet shrugged. "I guess girls just know how to have more fun than guys," she teased.

"Nah... We just want to live to get married, have children... have lives," Jaden grinned, laughing.

Alexis smirked. "Well, I doubt a few dares will stop us from getting that far, Jay."

"Hmmm... well, if Dr. Crowler had been on a rampage last night, you girls might be dead," Bastion asserted softly.

Syrus grimaced. "Bastion's right. Crowler could get pretty scary..."

"But he didn't," Annie sighed in awe.

Axel, even though he had been laughing at the girls' antics, was now serious. "I read up on him at West Academy and he definitely didn't act like his psych profile indicated." Axel had told the group about his work with Professor Viper, but hadn't mentioned how thorough their research on the gang around Jaden Yuki had been.

"He has a psych profile?" Bastion asked, stunned. Axel nodded.

"Uh...what's a psych profile?" Violet added.

"Psychological profile... it tells about what a person is like and how he or she thinks," Adrian explained.

"Oh...well then I think they should update Crowler's. After what he did last night, he's definitely not the same as he was our first year," Violet replied.

"No... he did a... well, I wouldn't call it a 180, but it's something," Bastion sighed, smiling.

Tyson and Rosa had been quieter than usual during the conversation, barely saying a word. Their friends took notice. "Tyson...Rosa...you guys okay?" Alexis asked for them all. Tyson looked at Rosa, wondering if he should say anything about what happened late last night. Rosa conveyed the answer with her eyes. She didn't mind telling them, but later, when it was more private.

So Tyson took a breath and said, "Yeah... just in a quiet sorta mood." Jaden and the other guys caught Tyson's look, knowing it meant they'd talk later. The girls, too, perceived the same thing through Rosa's expression and realized the same thing. The gang got through breakfast and then the guys and girls separated. By this time, Mindy, Chazz's new girlfriend and Jasmine, who'd just started seeing Atticus, had joined up and were with the other girls.

The guys headed over to one of the private Obelisk lounges and sat on the big overstuffed blue couches. "Guys... Rosa didn't want us to say nothin' in the main hall," Tyson began.

"Did something happen?" Syrus asked. All of the guys had the same concerned expressions on their faces, in varying degrees.

Tyson sighed for the umpteenth time this morning. "She had a nightmare... and it was a bad one. I've never seen her so scared..."

"You mean the one she was having before?" Atticus asked.

Tyson shook his head. "No... This time... it was worse..." And so he told them what Rosa had told him. "... And when she woke up, she was shakin' like a leaf..."

Jaden nodded, his brown eyes wide. "Not good, man... Man, if Lex was freaking like that... I'd be freaked too."

Jesse frowned. "That sounds pretty real, don't it? For a nightmare, I mean. From the way her body was actin'..." Tyson had also mentioned about Rosa's strange increase in temperature.

Adrian looked curious and worried at the same time. "Body temperatures sometimes interact with dreams. I wish I knew more about dream interpretation... Maybe I could help..."

"Too bad there aren't any Aboriginal gurus around here like there were back home. They're experts at this sort of thing," Jim said, Shirley growling lightly in agreement on his back.

"Uh...what?" Jaden asked, not understanding. "What's an aboriginal guru?"

Chazz smacked his head and groaned, "It's like an Indian medicine man, you moron!"

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Actually, Chazz, I didn't really know what that was, either..."

"Neither did I," both Atty and Jesse stated simultaneously. They blinked and exchanged glances, then grinned sheepishly.

Chazz flushed. "Uh... sorry," he apologized, wishing he hadn't reacted.

Jim chuckled. "Not a lot of people know about them, mates. So no worries... But getting back to the point of the matter, you don't think this'll be a repeat of last time, do you?" he asked Tyson. Of course, Jim was referring to the nightmares the girls had previously experienced, all four of them.

"I hope not... I really hope not," Tyson groaned.

"Alexis didn't have bad nightmares before the summer," Jaden said thoughtfully.

"Neither did Violet," Bastion added, face tight, worried about his fiancée's safety if this was a return of the nightmares that made the girls sick.

"Annie didn't, either. Well, except for the ones she had that sometimes came true," Syrus added, remembering the few times such an event had occurred.

"They came true?" Adrian asked, eyebrows raised.

Chazz nodded. "Yeah... she kinda had premonitions."

"But she hasn't had any recently. You don't think...Rosa's nightmare was one, do you?" Syrus asked, worry edging his voice. The group of young men looked at each other, not sure what to say.

And in another lounge, Jasmine looked at Rosa in concern. "What's up?" she asked gently.

Rosa sighed, just like her fiancé had, before speaking. "Last night...I had a nightmare. Not the one from before...this one was much, much worse..."

"What happened?" Annie asked. "Rosa... you look like you saw a ghost!"

"I wish it had been a ghost..." And so for the second time she explained her nightmare, including the strange reactions her body had experienced in reality. "I...I've never been so scared..."

The girls drew around Rosa in a protective hug and huddle. They knew she was terribly frightened and that in itself was a horrible thing. Jasmine sat close to the younger woman and said, "Rosa, it felt really real, didn't it? It almost sounds like some of what we heard about in class. Dreams real enough that you feel it."

All of the girls knew that anything that scared Rosa must be truly terrifying. Rosa looked over at the redhead, nodding slightly. "Si...I was actually surprised when I woke up... I thought I HAD been awake," she murmured, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

Mindy shivered slightly. "It... it sounds like," she began and then trailed off. She looked like she regretted opening her mouth at this, and looked at the ground like it was the most fascinating thing. 'Now they're going to wonder,' she thought, furious with herself.

All of the girls were looking at their friend in a mixture of curiosity and confusion. "Like...what, Mindy?" Violet asked.

Mindy blushed furiously. She knew she couldn't lie her way out of this. 'Oooh! Alexis'll ask!' she groaned inwardly. "Uh...oh... I promised I wouldn't say anything to you guys about this! And I had to go and blab!" she blurted out in anger with herself.

The others exchanged glances; now they HAD to know. Alexis fixed her friend with a serious look. "Mindy...what are you talking about?"

Mindy sighed, lifting her gray eyes to look at who just might be her future sister-in-law, though it might be too early for that. "It's... it's something... Chazz mentioned..."

Alexis frowned. "Chazz? Mindy, is something wrong?" she asked, worry edging her tone.

Mindy groaned again. "I promised him... but... I guess he wasn't ready to tell you and Atticus... I know it's not the same thing, but he's.... told me some stuff. He has bad dreams; not like what you told us, Rosa! But...he's had bad ones..." All the other young women exchanged glances at this. What dreams plagued him?

Saying Alexis looked worried was an understatement; she had an idea, but couldn't be sure. "If that's true...then I need to go to talk to him," she stated, beginning to stand.

"Alexis, wait." Surprisingly, it was Violet who spoke. "If he's not ready to tell you...then he's not. Trust me, I've been there. The last thing he wants right now is to be confronted about it. It won't turn out well," she explained, remembering how she had once been.

Annie nodded in agreement. "It's about those things he had the misfortune to share DNA with, am I right, Mindy?" she asked gently.

Mindy nodded, scowling at the mention of the two evil men who now were in prison for child abuse, neglect and endangerment, as well as attempted murder. "He won't tell me much, but what he does tell me... Let's just say I wish I was stronger. Then I could deal with them..."

Alexis's fists clenched, but she held her anger down. "They've already been dealt with as much as legally possible...even if they deserve worse."

"I wish," Mindy sighed, and then stopped. She had matured in the past few months. Her relationship with one Charles Xavier Princeton, later Rhodes, had begun shortly after the infamous sensitivity training/movie night, albeit clandestinely. He liked her and she liked him, but they were taking things slowly. The dark-haired, gray-eyed girl had a feeling it was because her boyfriend had expected her to revert to type, but if he had, he'd been surprised when he returned to the academy to find her waiting for him. And now, she wasn't sure what she wished she could do to take away his pain. All she knew was that she wanted to do that.

All of them had felt such a feeling of wanting to help at one point or another— both the girls and the boys. They had grown close, even with those who were not related by blood or held together through a relationship. They were a patchwork family of sorts, and they cared for each other as such. Though the others didn't feel nearly as vengeful as Alexis, Atticus, and Mindy might, they too felt the emotion, to a degree, of protectiveness.

Annie took a deep breath. "This is one of those times we have to let go and let God, I guess. And I know one thing. Slade and Jagger will someday have to stand in front of God and account for what they've done..." Mentally, she sighed. 'Lord, why does it take so long?' she mentally prayed.

Violet frowned. "They're definitely coming back as worms. I hope someone steps on them," she muttered. As a Buddhist, she believed in reincarnation and that one's deeds in this life dictated what one would become in the next life.

The others looked at each other and grinned wickedly. "Yeah... night crawlers... Then they get stuck on rusty hooks," Mindy smirked. "And then they're some fish's lunch..."

"If only they could be brought back to the level of dirt," Rosa added, smirking.

"Stepped on day-in and day-out. Now there's a good punishment," Alexis agreed.

"MICROBES!" Annie shouted suddenly. She had a very happy look on her face as she'd figured out what was going to be trod on every day. "They can be microbes found in dirt!"

Violet snickered. "Perfect! That's gotta be the lowest life form on this planet!"

"Yeah... But maybe," Mindy said thoughtfully, "maybe they'd be reincarnated as someone like their brother... Then they'd learn what it was like to be that child that was hurt so bad... Or maybe they would learn kindness some other way…"

Annie looked at Mindy, stunned. "That... that is brilliant... Sad, but brilliant." If they got sent back, she reasoned, it would only make sense that they'd be human again in order to learn what they hadn't seemed to in this lifetime.

Alexis smiled. "That does sound like the best idea. Let's hope God heard that..."

"I... I hope so," Mindy answered, wishing that if the Princeton brothers were reincarnated, they would learn kindness somehow.

"Has anyone else had bad dreams like Rosa's?" Annie asked, getting a suddenly bad feeling.

The girls all shook their heads. "I've been getting a bad feeling, though," Violet offered. "Like...there's a lot of bad karma around lately..."

Jasmine nodded. "Yeah, me too... So much for senior year being relaxing. Should we tell the teachers?" And then she thought about that. "Oh, wait," she groaned and then said, "'Hi, Chancellor Shepherd. One of us had a very real dream about something happening and we don't know if it was a warning...' Uh... maybe we should wait," she concluded, sweat-dropping.

Rosa nodded, having been about to voice her disagreement. "As I told Tyson, I am sure that it will turn out to be nada. We cannot believe every time something mal happens, it is an omen. That is being...er, what is the word?"

"Paranoid?" Alexis offered.

"Si. That is the one. Paranoid..."

"Yeah... We can't jump at shadows," Mindy agreed. "I mean, for all we know, it could be just a coincidence... right?"

The others nodded in agreement. "Right. We can keep an eye out, but let's not go overboard and jump to conclusions," Violet said.

"Good idea," Annie agreed, and then blinked, looking at her best friend. "What, no conspiracy theories?"

Violet blinked a few times, then sweat-dropped. "Uh...okay, here's one! The Sand Man is out to get us this time around."

The group of girls cracked up. Annie apologized, giggling. "Sorry! You usually have a conspiracy theory."

Violet gave a sheepish grin. "Let's just say I've had enough conspiracies... for the moment. Though I still believe bunnies are evil—that'll never change," she replied in all seriousness.

Annie sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly as everyone stopped laughing. "Yeah... bunnies... evil... got it..."

Back with the guys, though... "Syrus... I hope Annie ain't had premonitions lately," Tyson said sincerely, his hazel eyes clearly fearful.

Syrus shook his head for a second time. "If she has, she hasn't told me. And she usually does—or at least I can tell when she's had one," he explained.

Jaden nodded. "Yeah. I know when Lex has bad dreams now... She can't hide much from me anymore..." And he abruptly flushed, remembering the incident when he'd found her... feminine items. "She definitely can't hide much anymore..."

The other engaged guys caught the blush easily, but decided not to say anything since they had had similar...private discoveries. "Well, I bet it really is just a nightmare. We can't freak out every time something bad happens," Atticus said to break the light tension, having surmised what Jaden referred to.

"That's true, Atticus. We can't give into fear of what may occur just because one of us had a nightmare. Conspiracies may exist but we can't assume a single nightmare means an evil dark force is going to come and get us," Bastion pointed out. Axel sighed softly, listening to the group.

Jim noticed it, and looked over at the well-toned teen as the conversation carried on with the others. "Something wrong, mate?" he asked quietly.

"Just thinking... You guys have fought hard against enemies you couldn't always see. And it's done something to you," Axel offered.

"I guess we have become a little paranoid...we're used to enemies coming out of nowhere all the time," Syrus said thoughtfully.

Tyson met Axel's eyes in sudden understanding. "We have the symptoms, don't we?" the Texas Ra asked.

Axel nodded. "Yeah... you have some of the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Civilians get it, too, even little kids. You keep going through traumas and it gets to you. My dad talked about it..."

Jaden nodded as well, and took a deep breath. Of all the things he'd told his friends, what he was about to tell them seemed the most difficult to tell. "I had to be treated for that," he admitted.

Jesse looked over at his look-a-like in surprise. "You did, Jay?" he asked, green eyes wide.

The brown-eyed Slifer nodded quietly. He bent so no one could see his eyes. "You all know about Yubel now... After she hurt people and then after she left, I had all those nightmares. It went on for weeks. I had a lot of tests, therapy and meds... and part of that blocked my ability to hear my monsters for a while. But anyway, the doctors knew that seeing my friends collapse had caused some mental trauma and they diagnosed me with PTSD. So I was treated for that. It wasn't as serious as it could've been, but it was still pretty bad." A single tear raced down Jaden's cheek, betraying what was going on in his head and heart; admitting the trauma and the subsequent treatment was now breaking down his emotional and psychological defenses.

Chazz took a breath of his own. "Slacker... I think I noticed this summer... When you told us about her. You were scared like I was scared of... them... And I'm still fighting that off. Karen said I'll probably fight it off for the rest of my life..." And then Chazz did a very un-Chazz like thing. He walked over from where he was standing and actually pulled his future brother-in-law into a strong brotherly hug. "It's okay, man..."

And seeing Chazz drop his tough guy act long enough to hug Jaden, the other guys in the room followed suit. It was a rare group hug among only the boys, and even Axel and Adrian joined in...after a few moments of hesitation, of course.

Tyson, on the outer edge of the group had gotten Axel into it. "This is... a little weird," Axel muttered.

"Yeah, but it's our duty to the platoon," Tyson grinned, softly explaining.

Adrian realized this had to be done, but was a little uncomfortable. 'If Echo could see this, she'd put it on her MySpace... or worse... her Facebook site!' he thought in horror. He could see his best friend clicking a picture and posting it for all to see. She had an occasionally impish side and that meant she didn't have a problem teasing Adrian. Echo wouldn't be the only one who would pull that, however. If any of the girls had seen this, it wouldn't end well for the guys. But they were alone in the room, and their friend needed consolation.

Well, they were alone... that is until the girls walked in. "THEY HAVE FEELINGS!" Mindy squealed. Of course, the young women all knew that the young men had feelings; it was just that said young men didn't express their feelings in such an obvious fashion. And no one pulled out a camera.

"Awww! I've never seen such a big group man hug! Looks like we came at the right time, girls!!" Violet stated, giggling and squealing much like Mindy just had.

The guys abruptly broke apart. They looked decidedly uncomfortable at having been discovered in a vulnerable position like that. "Uh," Tyson got out, and then grinned sheepishly at his fiancée.

Rosa couldn't hide her surprise, but she smiled. She was used to her brothers and father hugging each other all the time. "It's okay, Tyson. It's nice to see your softer side like this," she said in her native tongue. Of course she saw it more than anyone, but it was nice to show others he had this side.

Jaden was still standing quietly, and hadn't lifted his head. So Chazz moved to his sister. "He's having a hard time, sis," he explained. "And...I started the hug..."

Alexis smiled a little herself. "Good move, bro," she said before going to her fiancé, giving him a tender hug of her own. "You okay, Jay?"

He managed to lift his head and it was obvious the tears had come. "Just... remembered some hard stuff, babe... Chazz remembered, I think, too..."

She brushed some of his tears away with her fingers. "Are you going to be all right? Do you want to go back to the room?" She knew Jaden might want some time to recover from what he'd allowed to resurface.

Jaden seemed a little shaky. "Y-yeah... I think... Yeah, babe..." Chazz laid a hand on Jaden's shoulder as he stepped over to Mindy. It was a simple gesture, but it conveyed something that the raven-haired boy, when he'd been in the black uniform, could not have conveyed. And so Jaden and Alexis stepped away from the group and left. "S-sorry, babe," he apologized as they walked.

Alexis kept an arm around him, knowing that he needed comforting and reassuring now. "It's okay, Jay. You're shaken up...it's best if you get some time to yourself. I know from experience," she soothed.

"I... dang it..." He stopped as they stood in the hall, balling his fists, trying to calm his nerves. "Dr. Yancy said this would happen sometime... but..." His face showed absolute frustration.

She looked at him. "Dr. Yancy?"

"He was my psychologist/therapist when I was younger. Alexis... I was really messed up after Yubel..."

"I understand, Jay... I'm not surprised you were. But what did he say would happen that you think is happening now?"

"That... there might be a point where I talk about it and..." The tears came again. "I do this," he explained, voice breaking.

She frowned, wrapping her arms around him again and pulling him close. "Oh, Jaden... If you talk about it and this happens...it's natural. There's nothing strange about it...anyone would get worked up over something like this..." He held on, grateful for the millionth time that he wasn't alone and she hadn't rejected him. They made it back to the room and he collapsed onto their bed. Jaden was so drained that he fell into an exhausted sleep.

_So it seems everyone in the gang has some issues, but Jaden's issues seem to really be getting to him. How will he deal with it? Next time, please join us for "Shadows of the Past." Thank you, and until next time, which definitely won't be as long, please read and review!_


	12. Shadows of the Past

Chapter XII: Shadows of the Past

_Hello again, everyone! Yes, we updated in a week this time! Peach won't jinx herself. Anyway, for everyone who's wondering and has reviewed, first we'd like to explain that Darkness, the main villain in Season 4, has reared his head and is waiting to make his move. When he actually makes his move will be a surprise. For now, however, we are dealing with a different sort of villain; this villain comes from within. Jaden, particularly, had a rough past, and it's about to get him._

_Secondly, we'd like to give credit where credit is due. In our original version of this tale, which sadly was lost when Peach's hard drive crashed, we had no mention of Jaden's inner battles, which RGZ Archer mentioned. We decided to explore that in the new version of the tale. So thank you very much for the suggestion, Archer and some suggestions which led to this chapter. And Rainwalker, thank you as well for your suggestions and we'll be glad to talk to you, too!_

_So, last time, the guys had a brotherly bonding moment and both the guys and the gals talked about the nightmare Rosa had. But the nightmare awoke something in Jaden. So how will he and the gang deal with this? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own GX. We never did. We wish we did. We just own our OCs and this tale. Thank you.**_

_Authors' note: Jaden, Alexis and Yubel's ancient past together is chronicled in Peach and Ani's story, "How We Met." There is mention of Season 3 events that did not occur in our timeline. Thank you._

Jaden Yuki had fallen asleep in the bedroom he shared with Alexis Rhodes in sheer exhaustion after revealing a dark part of his past. And then Yubel appeared, looking sorrowful. "I did so much damage to him," she sighed, her leathery wings folded neatly behind her back.

Alexis looked up at the winged female duel monster, grateful she could see Yubel on her own. A small part of her was still angry at all the female monster had done to her fiancé, but most of her had forgiven Yubel. "Maybe...but you're helping to fix him now," she replied.

Yubel sat down on the edge of the bed, leaving Alexis close to the young man they both loved. "Alexis... I think...we need to talk... especially since what I did has surfaced like this," the duel monster explained softly.

Alexis brushed Jaden's hair lightly with her fingers. "What do you want to talk about?"

Yubel took a deep breath. "About the past, the present and the future... You have always been part of his life, you know... And that's why I wanted you gone..."

Alexis returned her gaze to the other. "You were a part of his life longer than me, Yubel. Even if all of it wasn't good..."

Yubel sighed. "Alexis... you became part of his life in the long past... You stole his heart back when he was a prince..."

Alexis's eyes widened. "What...what are you talking about??"

"Alexis... a long time ago... Jaden was a prince in the Duel Monsters kingdoms. He was the crown prince of the Monster Heroes kingdom and you were the princess of the Cyber Kingdom. And I was a boy who had served the prince and been a friend. But then to protect him, I was given the Dragon's Heart, which transformed me. I became... well," she paused, gesturing at her figure.

Alexis's jaw had dropped slightly, and she quickly closed it. "You mean...in the past, we lived in the Duel Monsters world? And you were human too?"

Yubel nodded. "Yes, and I was a human boy. Oddly, I had similarities to one Jesse Anderson."

Alexis blinked in surprise. "Really??"

Yubel nodded again. "Anyway, I was changed and Jaden promised we'd be friends forever. At that point, I loved him as a brother. But then... the change made me change..." She remembered that day. "We said we loved each other... And then, the Dragon's Heart made me... love him differently. And I wanted to be with him..."

"I see...but, how did I make you jealous back then? Were Jaden and I together like we are now?" Alexis wondered, her eyebrows raising into her hairline.

Yubel sighed, remembering all too well her descent into obsessed madness. "You and he met the day after my change occurred. You were betrothed and he was even more naive than he was when you met in this lifetime, I believe," she said, smiling at the prince's reaction to finding out what producing an heir met.

Alexis smirked. "I can see that. But we were betrothed...what age were we in, Yubel?"

"It was several centuries ago... for you, I believe it would have been about 2500 years ago," the monster answered thoughtfully.

Alexis practically fell off of the bed in shock. "T-twenty-five hundred years?! Seriously?!"

Yubel nodded. "Yes... and I watched as you two fell in love, as he longed to be with you... and then your wedding..." Her face turned down as she blushed. She was thinking of the wedding night that had nearly driven her mad.

Alexis caught the blush. "Yubel...since it was that time, and we were married... Did we...?" she stammered, blushing herself.

"You did... and it drove me mad nearly..."

Alexis's entire face was beet red at the thought, so she tried focusing on the other aspect of it. "It… it did?"

Yubel sighed. "Yes... and you were with child right away..."

Alexis subconsciously wrapped her arms around her stomach. "I...I was pregnant... With Jaden's baby," she muttered, half in disbelief.

"I wanted that to be me," the monster girl admitted. "And... one day, Jaden and I went on a trip when you were three months along. We were supposed to be gone for two weeks..."

"What happened?" the human girl asked meeting Yubel's golden-orange and blue-green eyes with her hazel-brown ones.

Yubel shifted uncomfortably. "Three days into the trip, we were sitting by a lake and I kissed him. He reacted in shock and I told him how I felt. And he tried to frame the words and I flew off in anger. He cried out to me that he was sorry, but I didn't fly back. I... thought about killing him," she moaned sadly. "But... I didn't... Something else happened, Alexis... and what he did was my fault because I hurt him emotionally..." This was a memory Yubel hated to relive.

Alexis frowned. "What did he do...?" she asked, somehow dreading the answer.

"He... tried to kill himself. He cut his wrist," Yubel said, hugging herself. "I managed to stop the bleeding and I flew him back to the castle. You didn't want to leave his side that night... But Queen Jayda insisted... And I sat all those hours and told her what I have been telling you..."

Alexis's gaze was on the ground. It was extremely hard to imagine Jaden trying to kill himself, even at his saddest moments. "You saved him..."

"I had thought about taking his life, but... when it came down to it, I couldn't and I couldn't let him take his own life. So, Alexis, I made a decision then that I would protect him and your past self and your children. You had a lot of children," Yubel explained, frown becoming a soft smile as she remembered all those kids.

Again, Alexis blushed. "H-How many??"

Yubel blushed as well. "Ten. Four boys and six girls, and they brought you both so much joy and your families as well..."

Alexis froze, face showing obvious shock as a single eyebrow twitched. "T...T...Ten??" she muttered before her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fainted.

Yubel was grateful that she could catch Alexis, even in her spirit form. "Oh my!" she yelped, catching the human girl and easing her onto the bed with Jaden. 'I'd better get someone!' she thought quickly. Yubel stood and flew out of the room, looking around for a spirit or one of the gang to get help from.

As it happened, Usagi, Annie's duel spirit was walking by. Today she was in her Unknowing Guardian form, wearing a sailor suit with a navy blue skirt and collar, with red lines on the collar and navy blue cuffs on the white shirt. Her long blonde hair was still in the traditional "meatball" style, where she had two buns on the top of her head and two long pigtails flowing down her back. "Yubel? Is everything all right?" she asked, seeing the other monster fly through the wall, blue eyes wide with concern.

Yubel sighed in relief. "Usagi, thank goodness. I need your help. Can you go and ask Annie to come to Jaden and Alexis's room?"

"Of course!" Usagi answered. "What happened? Do we need to get Miss Fontaine too?"

"Uh, no, I don't think so. I was just telling Alexis about some...things, and one of those...things, ended up making her faint... And Jaden is fast asleep," Yubel explained, a little awkwardly.

"Okay! I'll be right back!" Usagi grinned, running for Annie.

The human girl was now sitting with her fiancé, enjoying cups of herbal tea. "Mmm... I love this blend," Annie sighed happily.

"Yeah. It smells as good as it tastes, too," Syrus replied, smiling.

"Yeah..."

"Annie!" Usagi called, appearing before the couple, "I need you to come to Jaden and Alexis's room! She fainted..."

Annie's eyes widened and her lips formed a nearly perfect O in shock. "What?!"

"Yeah... it's all right. Yubel said they were chatting about... stuff... and Alexis passed out. Can you come?" Usagi asked.

"Sure... Sy? Honey, can you help me?"

Syrus nodded. "Of course. I hope she's okay..."

They quickly headed down to the room and got in. Annie sighed, checking her friend's pulse. "Sy, get a wet washcloth, will you?" she asked calmly.

"Okay." He quickly went to the bathroom, and returned a minute later with a damp cloth. "Here you go, Annie. Is she all right?"

"Yeah... just give me a minute..." The dark-haired young woman laid the cool cloth on Alexis's forehead and elevated her legs. "Alexis? Can you hear me?" she asked softly.

Alexis groaned, and a moment later her eyes opened a little. "Annie...?"

"Oh, good, you're awake... Yubel called Usagi and Usagi got me and Sy. They said you fainted," the dark-haired girl breathed in relief.

"Oh... yeah... I remember that..." Alexis blushed a little when she remembered what Yubel had said, but she didn't faint again, luckily.

"Just take it easy for a few minutes," Annie said. And then she moved to Jaden. "He's sleeping pretty soundly... He had it hard, harder than any of us thought..."

Syrus frowned a little. "Without telling us...we'd never know..."

"Yeah," Annie sighed. "And I thought I had it rough... that's nothing compared to Jaden..."

"I think we all had it rough to different degrees...it's only just starting to become known," Alexis said thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Annie agreed.

Jaden stirred in his sleep. "Mmmm... nooo," he moaned. "No... don't leave..." Whatever it was that was scaring him, Jaden was not sleeping easily.

All three turned their attention to the Slifer. "Jaden?" Syrus asked worriedly.

"I think he's having a nightmare," Alexis muttered, pushing herself up onto an elbow.

Annie sighed and said, "We'll ride it out with him. He's not in deep sleep; otherwise he wouldn't be talking..."

And then... "No... guys, I didn't sacrifice you!" Jaden cried out, expression contorting.

"What?!" Annie gasped.

"Sacrifice us...?" Alexis asked to the air, eyes wide.

"But...I don't think we've ever been in a situation like that," Syrus said, confused. Usually, nightmares came from memories in the subconscious.

"No, we haven't... What is he seeing?" Annie wondered.

Jaden's face was contorted in obvious emotional pain. "Sy... I didn't... but you hate me anyway..."

"What is going on?" the dark-haired girl muttered, frowning in concern and puzzlement.

Syrus tensed. "I don't hate Jay...there's no way I could ever hate him."

"Jaden...whatever you're seeing, it's not real," Alexis tried, taking his hand.

Jaden was shaking like a leaf. "No! Yubel! Let Jesse go!" he cried out, his eyes snapping open. "NOOO!!!" he yelped, sitting up.

Alexis and Syrus couldn't stop the instinctual reaction to pull back a little. But both quickly moved back to their surrogate brother/fiancé. "Shh, Jaden, it's okay," Alexis soothed, squeezing his hand.

"It was a dream, Jay," Syrus added.

Annie moved close too. "Jaden, it's okay," she said gently, checking his pulse and doing a mostly visual examination of him.

He was visibly trembling. "No... it's not... I did bad things," he explained, sounding terrified. "Or... I don't know..."

"Jaden...what was it?" Annie asked, mentally taking note. His brown eyes were wide and teary, his hair was disheveled and his skin was pale. The hand Alexis held was sweaty and clammy as well.

"I... You guys would've hated me," Jaden moaned weakly.

The three exchanged worried glances. "Jaden...I could never hate you. I love you," Alexis replied, squeezing his hand to emphasize the point.

Syrus nodded. "I could never hate my brother, Jay." Jaden desperately needed a hug and pulled his arms around his surrogate brother, fiancée and surrogate sister-in-law to be. They held him tightly for a long moment and his shoulders bobbed as he silently cried.

Usagi and Yubel appeared, but invisible to their human friends. "What did he see?" Usagi wondered, now clad in a white sailor suit with a navy blue collar, sheer short sleeves and a white skirt edged in yellow and blue with a white bow at the back that looked like butterfly wings. She was in her incarnation as the Guardian of Pure Dreams.

Yubel frowned deeply, looking away. She'd been able to watch the entire nightmare play out, and knew what it meant. "Something that could have happened if I hadn't changed..."

Usagi caught it. "It was really bad, wasn't it? People would've died?" she asked.

"Not...died, exactly. At least, not how most of them were taken," Yubel replied, glancing over at her angelic-looking companion.

Usagi understood, remembering what happened to her friends so often. "They got resurrected or sent somewhere where they were just captured and it seemed that they were gone?" she asked drily.

Yubel nodded, the surprise evident on her face. "Yes, that about sums it up... But how did you know?"

Usagi sweat-dropped and grinned sheepishly, despite the seriousness of the situation. "It happened to me and my friends a lot. And when I learned to use the Imperium Silver Crystal, it was always supposed to kill me, but I always ended up being resurrected or just weak for a few minutes." And then she looked at Yubel seriously. "Oddly enough, you kind of look like a couple of the people I had to face and saved or defeated... My friends might've seemed to die to help us win, but they always came back alive somehow... Weird," she concluded, looking bemused.

Yubel sweat-dropped. "I suppose the audience likes it better when the good guy wins and those who died come back however possible..."

"Oh, yes... people don't like it when their favorite characters die and aren't somehow resurrected," Usagi agreed. "And parents' groups complain when it happens in cartoons."

"I'd hate to see the parents' groups' reactions to all that's happened to this group if this were a show," Yubel replied, thinking back on all that Jaden had filled her in about.

Usagi nodded. "Yeah... If the animation companies didn't want the fifth season of my show dubbed because of what the parents' groups would've done, I'd hate to think how they'd react to this group... Especially what happened this summer..."

"Or what might have happened that Jaden saw in his nightmare," Yubel agreed, looking over at her lifetime friend as he trembled in his friends' and love's grip.

"Well, let's be thankful it didn't happen," Usagi sighed, grateful for that.

"Yeah," Gyroid added sadly, appearing with the female monsters, speaking in his customary high voice. "I know Sy wouldn't like being angry with Jaden..."

"And whatever happened to everyone, about them being sacrificed, it sounds horrible! No wonder Jaden looks so distressed!" Cyber Tutu added, sounding much like a concerned little girl.

Usagi put a friendly hand on Cyber Tutu's shoulder. "His friends are his life. Burstinatrix told me a lot last school year about it. To see them hurt... would be devastating. Yubel, did he really see a possible alternate timeline?"

Yubel frowned, but nodded. "Yes, he did. The chance of it happening is near impossible now, since I'm no longer influenced by the Light of Destruction. But who knows what the future truly holds..."

Gyroid shivered. "I hope whatever it was doesn't ever happen."

The duel spirits now watched unseen as Jaden calmed down enough to talk again. "Guys... it was really bad..."

"We heard some of it, Jay...you were talking in your sleep," Alexis replied, still holding him, fearful of what was going on.

"I..." Jaden blinked a few times, trying to make sense of the specters of his nightmare. "I saw us... in this dark place... and Alexis... you, Tyson, Atticus... Chazz... you all got captured in a duel and this guy kept sacrificing you and I had to duel... and Sy, you saw and thought I did it... And... I guess I pushed you away without knowing it... I'm sorry," he moaned.

"Sacrificing us...in a duel..?" Alexis asked, tensing slightly at the thought.

"But Jay...you have nothing to be sorry for. You've never pushed me away," Syrus said, frowning.

"But... I might've... Jesse... he's kinda like my twin, you know? And if... I don't know..." Jaden let go and laid his head in his hands.

"Uh-oh," Annie muttered, comprehension of the situation hitting her like an attack from Elemental Hero Thunder Giant.

Alexis kept her arms around Jaden as Syrus looked over at his fiancée. "'Uh-oh'?"

"Sy..." Annie motioned and they stepped away from the other couple. "I'm worried," she explained softly as Alexis tried to comfort her fiancé, rocking him like he was a frightened child.

"Worried? About what?" Sy asked. Of course they were all worried about Jaden, but Annie made it sound like something else was worrying her.

As it turned out, she was worried about Jaden. "I don't know how much he can take... He's acting like he's got post-traumatic stress disorder. I've read a lot about it... Did he say anything?"

Syrus's frown deepened and he straightened his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "He said...that he'd been treated for it as a kid..."

Annie groaned. "It happens sometimes, that the symptoms can return. And Jaden's had a lot happen to him the past couple of years. All that stress has gotten to him... He was probably under a psychologist's care."

"I think he mentioned a doctor. But I can't remember his name..."

"It's not good if it's returned like this... and if he's seeing what might've happened to us... Maybe he's still afraid we'd abandon him," Annie whispered. "We may need Miss Fontaine and Dr. Otani, if it's this bad..."

"Should we get them now?" Syrus asked, worry for his friend having increased tenfold.

Annie sighed softly, the worry evident in her features. "We'll call Miss Fontaine... And the gang... And then Miss Fontaine can call out to Domino Children's. Dr. Otani was good with me, Alexis, Violet and Rosa when we were in the hospital and she was good with Violet at the beginning of the summer, remember?"

Syrus nodded. "Yeah. I just hope these nightmares aren't a bad sign that something's going to happen..." Annie nodded again, gravely.

And in the meantime, Alexis had helped Jaden lay back down. "Lex..." He held her hand in a death grip.

"I'm right here, Jay... Just try to calm down, all right?" she said softly.

He nodded, at least not trembling now. "Don't leave," he whispered.

"I won't," she whispered back reassuringly, running her fingers gently through his hair in a calming gesture.

"Alexis," Annie called softly. "I need to talk to you... Jaden, she's staying with you, okay?"

"Okay," he answered softly, releasing his grip so his fiancée could get up.

Alexis hesitated for a moment, but stood and walked over to Annie and Syrus. "What is it, Annie?"

"I think we need to get Miss Fontaine and maybe get Dr. Otani out here from Domino Children's. Did Jaden tell you he saw a psychologist when he was a kid?"

"Yeah...I think his name was Dr. Yancy," Alexis answered, remembering.

"Hmmm... Dr. Otani may need to know that... Jaden's mom and dad can fill Dr. Otani in... I hope we're not facing a new problem soon," Annie muttered. "I don't think Jaden can take much more of this..."

"I don't know if any of us can, Annie... We've been through so much already," Syrus said, looking at the ground. Most of them were stretched to their limit and teetering on the edge. And without Jaden, he knew, the group just might shatter.

Annie nodded. "Yeah... we can't take much more of this... We need a break... I just hope we have time... We all have to be able to fight if something bad does come. We need a little time and a lot of luck and help..."

"All we can do is hope for those things...but right now, we need to try and help Jaden," Alexis said.

"All right... I'll call Miss Fontaine and get the gang. Maybe if we stay around him, Jaden will calm down enough," Annie said, pulling her PDA out of a pocket on her skirt.

She quickly dialed and made the needed calls. Within three minutes, Miss Fontaine was at the door of the room. "Hey, guys," she greeted gently, holding her medical kit.

The nurse stepped into the room and checked Jaden over. "Okay, we're going to get through this, Jaden. Honey, everything's in your file about this. You're not the first person to have this kind of reaction to trauma and you won't be the last. Just let yourself relax..."

"Can... can everybody stay in here tonight?" he asked, sounding like a much younger boy.

Fonda thought it over and nodded. "Okay, I think that's all right... I think you just need to relax today. Stay in here and just let yourself unwind. Jaden, we're calling your parents and they'll be here in a few hours. Alexis, your mom and dad are coming too. It's going to be okay..."

Alexis blinked in surprise. "My mom and dad? Why?" she asked.

"You need the support, Alexis," the nurse pointed out as Jaden went to get his pajamas on in the bathroom with Syrus's help. "He's not the only patient. Families who are dealing with a sick member are patients too, and friends and lovers are patients because they're dealing with stress from helping that person. And it's not a bad thing to feel stress, but you're going to be dealing with possibly long-term stress and you need people around you to ease it off."

Alexis frowned. "I guess you're right..."

"It'll be all right," the nurse soothed. She got Alexis to sit down and Annie too. "So did anything else happen?"

"Yeah... Alexis fainted for some reason," Annie explained matter-of-factly. "Sudden shock apparently. Yubel and Usagi didn't tell me what it was, though..."

Alexis's blush returned. "Er, it was nothing... Don't worry about it," she said quickly, sweat-dropping. Miss Fontaine wisely didn't ask more.

In the bathroom, Jaden quietly pulled on his Bubbleman print pajama bottoms and a bright blue top. Sy had quietly handed him the pajamas as he changed and now, Jaden stood in front of the sink, looking into the mirror, but really not looking. He looked blank and sad. Finally, Syrus couldn't take it anymore. "...Jay...?" he asked hesitantly.

"Sy... sorry," Jaden muttered, eyes cast down. "Why'd this happen now..? I'm really a freak again..."

"Don't say that... You're not a freak, Jaden. And you can stop saying sorry," Syrus tried again, brows angling downward.

"I've put you through this... You guys were in the line of fire because of me..." Jaden's insecure and frightened side was back full force, worse than nearly two months ago when the girls had been hurt and Yubel had made her move and worse than over a year and a half previously when Kaibaman had dueled him. "What if another bad guy comes? What if... what if they figure out... how to make me bad like I saw? Then it's my fault..."

"Jaden, don't..." Syrus placed a hand on his friend's arm, hating to hear him talk like this. "You can't blame yourself. Remember what Yugi said? And Kisara? If you blame yourself, you'll just hurt yourself and everyone else in the end...you can't..."

Jaden remembered. "Yeah... I just..." And then he sank to his knees, crying again. Syrus felt tears sting his own eyes, as he dropped down beside Jaden. He wrapped his arms around his surrogate brother, wanting to comfort him like Jaden had comforted him so many times. Jaden just held on.

Miss Fontaine had heard on the outside of the bathroom and called, "Boys, do you need help in there?"

"Y-Yeah," Syrus called back, shaking a little.

Miss Fontaine came right into the room and knelt next to the young men. "Jaden... Honey, can you get up?" Jaden didn't respond, holding onto his surrogate brother like a life preserver. "Okay, Syrus, help me get him to his feet," the nurse requested. Syrus nodded, keeping his arms around Jaden as he and Miss Fontaine worked together to pull him up. Together the nurse and small Obelisk got Jaden to his feet and he allowed them to lead him to the big bed he and Alexis shared. He lay down on it, that same blank expression on his face. "He just needs to rest for a while," Miss Fontaine said gently, covering the Slifer with a light blanket. "How did he start talking about it?" she wondered.

Syrus frowned. "We were talking about something. And he brought it up..."

Miss Fontaine nodded. "Did someone else have a problem? Something that may have triggered this?" Syrus, Alexis, and Annie all exchanged glances. Rosa had specifically asked the girls not to mention it, and Tyson had mentioned Rosa's wishes as well. Miss Fontaine sensed it. "Guys... I have a feeling you're worried about betraying a confidence, but I need to know if someone was worried about a nightmare or just talking about it. You don't have to say who, but I have to know what may have triggered this episode to help Jaden. Okay?"

Alexis sighed. "Okay... Someone did have a nightmare..."

"They talked with us about it, and that's when Jaden brought up all of this," Syrus added.

Miss Fontaine nodded. "All right... Well, that helps. I'll be able to tell the doctors that. Jaden, everyone's outside. I told them all to wait until I was done with checking you out before they came in... Can they come in now?" Jaden didn't respond. So Miss Fontaine asked Alexis the same question.

Alexis looked at Jaden for a moment before answering. "I guess so..."

"Okay." The nurse headed out of the room and everyone filed in.

"Slacker? You okay?" Chazz asked, sitting down next to the bed close to his sister. Jaden wasn't talking.

"Sarge," Tyson added, sitting at another chair, "we're all here... The platoon stands with its leader..."

"He may not say anything, guys," Alexis said, so that they wouldn't get too worried that Jaden wasn't speaking. His eyes still held that horribly blank look, a look that somehow seemed incompatible with the Jaden that they all knew and loved.

Bastion sighed. "We know, Alexis... and we're here for you as well. He's just... I've never seen a case like this before..."

"I did," Axel and Tyson said at the same time.

Syrus couldn't help but blink and stare at the two army boys. "You did?"

Axel looked at Tyson. "VA hospitals?" he asked.

Tyson nodded. "Yeah... You want to?"

Axel nodded. "Okay. We visited vets' hospitals and army hospitals with our dads. A lot of the men and women who served in combat came back with PTSD and they needed help to get over it."

Tyson added, "They used to call it shell shock. People who've been through wars or bad experiences relive the trauma and need counseling and other stuff to get through it."

"Then...what do we need to do to help Jay?" Violet asked.

"Whatever we can to help him through. He might get different emotionally, but we have to understand that that's just the PTSD talking. He may get angry or he won't talk at all, but we just have to ride through it with him," Axel answered calmly.

"Hmmm... so we'll just be a shoulder to cry on," Annie translated.

"There's nothing else we can do..?" Alexis asked, frowning.

"Not much else we can do," Tyson explained, not wanting to tell Alexis what had happened to those men, women and children who, despite the best efforts of the psychologists and families, had succumbed to the disorder.

Jaden turned slightly and seemed to gain back some expression. "Guys?" he asked softly.

"Jay, bud, we're all here," Atticus said first, sending the younger boy a smile.

The pajama-clad Slifer sat up and gazed at the people around him. "Thanks, bro... guys... This hasn't happened in a long time... and that nightmare I had... maybe I saw something that would've happened... Or maybe I saw something I've been afraid of... Losing everybody..."

"You're not going to lose any of us, Jay," Alexis said reassuringly, smiling as well.

Jaden wasn't quite at a smile yet, but he held out his arms for a hug. "Thanks, babe..." Alexis wrapped her arms around him, glad that at least for the moment he was talking again.

Everyone hugged Jaden individually and he managed to lie down and fall into a calm sleep. "Chancellor Shepherd is calling Mrs. Kaiba and the Yukis and your parents, Atticus, Alexis and Chazz," Miss Fontaine mentioned to the group. "I think it's not only Jaden that needs help here; you kids do too..."

Axel nodded. "Yeah. You're right, Miss Fontaine. And we'll accept the help…" And so the gang waited, while notifications went to Domino.

_We hope Jaden hasn't gotten too out of character here, everyone. We all know what happened in Season 4, but that isn't happening here. Jaden is just going through a very rough time. He will be okay; it will just take some time for him to feel better. Next time, please join us for "Intervention." Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	13. Intervention

Chapter XIII: Intervention

_Welcome back, everyone, to Peach and Ani's version of the Yugi-verse and __**Darkness Falls.**__ We'd first like to thank the people who have read and reviewed, however you have reviewed. We disagree strongly with the accusations of racism and homophobia, because they are simply not true. First, how can duel spirits logically have an intimate relationship with humans? It is not logical. Secondly, Peach is heterosexual but has a gay relative and gay friends, while Ani herself is bi-curious. And as RGZ Archer pointed out, just because one writes heterosexuality or an assumed "throwaway line" doesn't mean that one is a homophobe. You are welcome to your own interpretations of our characters; we just might disagree with them. _

_Ani offers this… "__I just have a few things to say. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's fighting of any kind. Especially so if it has to do with something I've made. Please, please, people. If you don't like what you read, simply leave the story and go read something else. Please don't start fights or shoot off insults. It's a waste of energy...and it hurts feelings. That's all I have to say."_

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_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Darkness Falls… Yubel and Alexis had a heart-to-heart about what went on in the past. And then Jaden had nightmares that saw a timeline in which his friends were lost to him, and it resurrected his post-traumatic stress disorder that he got as a child due to the traumas he experienced. The group realized that they had to rally around him, Tyson and Axel explaining that they all needed to be patient. _

_**As usual, the disclaimer. We don't own GX. We just own our interpretations, OCs and this version of the Yugi-verse. If we owned the Yugi-verse… would we be posting here? Maybe… or maybe not…**_

About four hours later, a Kaiba Corporation helicopter was flying over the Pacific toward the academy. "It's finally happened, Hisoka," Jayda Yuki sighed. "It's the one thing we were both afraid of when he started talking to the duel spirits again..." Jayda looked nearly identical to her 17-year-old son except for obvious feminine characteristics. And right now, she looked like what she was… a very worried mother.

Hisoka Yuki nodded, putting an arm around the love of his life. "But it's taken longer than we thought it would...maybe that's a good thing." He was a Japanese-American man with raven-black hair and soft brown eyes with the lanky frame Jaden had inherited. He was a lawyer by trade and had been responsible for the adoption proceedings that had made Chazz Princeton into Chazz Rhodes.

Dr. Karen Otani looked up from her notes, brushing her raven bangs out of her plump Asian face. "Jayda, Hisoka, from what Dr. Yancy said, Jaden may have pulled out some coping mechanisms. This is related to his earlier episode and he's had more traumas since. When he was with Alexis when the kids were in Domino, I could tell he was hiding something... I think we can get him through this..."

"We'll do whatever it takes to help him through this, Karen. We want him to get better," Hisoka replied, sometimes wondering if he should have become a doctor instead of a lawyer.

Scout Rhodes, a woman who looked like a plump version of her daughter, except for her dark hair and eyes, nodded. "He's such a sweet young man. We're all going to hold him together through this, right, Jack?"

"Of course. If there's anything we can do at all, we won't hesitate to help," Jack, a man who looked like an older Atticus, but with blonde hair and hazel-brown eyes like his daughter, stated.

Jayda sighed again. "Jay-Jay... that he's scared of being abandoned again..."

"Jayda... On some level I feared it when I was Jaden's age," Yugi Muto explained, sitting in his seat and unconsciously rubbing at his wristbands. "Jaden has been through much of what I experienced. He's watched friends be kidnapped and injured, and like me, he blames himself. For a while, I told myself that it wasn't my fault, but another voice inside me said otherwise. And that darker, less rational voice is a hard one to overcome. But it can be overcome," he concluded.

"Yugi is right, Jayda. We have to believe that Jaden will overcome this and we'll be there to support him. His fears won't become a reality...not again," Hisoka added, keeping an arm around his wife.

Jayda sighed again. Kisara Kaiba shifted in her seat. "Jayda, Hisoka... right now, he's terrified. And this may have been a long time in coming..."

And then Jayda's own guilty feelings hit. "Am I that dumb? Why didn't I..?"

"Jayda, don't do that to yourself!" Scout exclaimed suddenly, cutting her off. "When Atticus came home after having been missing, he acted like nothing had happened at first. 'Hi, Mom! Miss me?' he asked when he came through the door. We hugged him, Jack and I made his favorite dinner... And then a few nights later, I woke up to hear him crying. He'd wanted to forget about Nightshroud, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. But he hid what he was feeling. It doesn't make you dumb or, like I thought at first, a bad mom..."

"And the same applies to dads. I know you must be thinking something along those lines, Hisoka. I know I did. That I should have been able to protect him, to be his support. But sometimes there's nothing we can do to prevent what's going to happen. And we can't change it. All we can do is help them get through it and overcome it," Jack explained, remembering the nights he'd stayed in his now-eldest son.

Hisoka sighed, recognizing the other father was correct. "You're right...they both are, Sugar Jay."

Jayda bit her lip, fighting her emotions, trying to hold in the tears of frustration and pain. "I just wish... I could fix it."

Karen sighed gently and smiled. "But you are. Just by loving and supporting him. And you have given him a soft place to fall. He knows he can come to you and talk things out. He'll make it through."

Yugi nodded in agreement. "He's got a wonderful young woman in Alexis."

"And a lot of good friends," Kisara added, reiterating the point.

"He has far more support than before, Jayda. I think this time we may finally get him through this ordeal," Hisoka said reassuringly.

"I hope so," Jayda answered as the helicopter got close to the school. It landed 15 minutes later. Chancellor Shepherd and Dr. Crowler were waiting at the landing pad in the early November sunshine.

"Hello again, everyone," Andrew Shepherd greeted. "I wish the circumstances were different. Jaden's okay and he's sleeping right now."

"Hello, Andrew, Vellian. That's good to hear," Hisoka greeted, the slight strain in his voice evident.

Vellian Crowler took a breath, hearing the strain. "Hisoka... we're all figuring out a plan for him and we'll do what we can to minimize stress."

"Yes, I know that you are and I thank you for it..."

Vellian nodded. "I owe your son my life... He saved me," the Obelisk boys' headmaster explained. "I'm sure he told you about it..."

Hisoka nodded. "Yes, he did. We're very proud of all he's done..."

"Jaden's done so much for this school and the world... We'll get him through this," Shepherd said calmly.

Jayda nodded. "Thank you, Andrew..." The chancellor nodded and walked the parents, counselor, white-blonde doctor and spiky-haired pro-duelist up to Obelisk Blue.

When the adults got to the dorms, Scout and Jack found themselves hugged by two enthusiastic young men. "Hey, Mom! Hey, Dad!" Chazz said eagerly.

"Hey, sweetie," Scout greeted, hugging both her boys tightly in her arms.

"Mom, Dad, it's great to see you!" Atticus said happily, hugging back.

Jack smiled and joined the family hug. "Hey, boys..."

"Where's your sister?" Scout asked, turning serious.

"She was sitting with Jaden... I've never seen him this down," Chazz said. "Hi, Karen," he greeted the counselor.

"Hey, Chazz... still working on being open?" Karen asked, smiling.

"Yeah... I hugged Slacker first when he needed it," the raven-haired young man explained, flushing at the fact that he'd been the first guy to make the move.

"Well, that's progress, kiddo," Karen smiled.

"Hello again, boys," Kisara and Yugi greeted together.

"Hey," Chazz said easily. Now perhaps the small entourage could have gotten through the Obelisk common area without much notice had it been a different time of day and a different day. But today was Sunday and students were snacking on brunch or late lunches.

"OH HOLY CRAP! IT'S YUGI!!!" a girlish squeal rang out.

"Oh, no," Yugi groaned softly.

Atticus blinked. "Whoa. And I thought my fan girls were bad," he muttered as more squealing ensued.

Dr. Crowler, however, moved to the stairs. "Everyone, you may have opportunity to speak with Yugi Muto later. But right now, he has urgent business in these dorms along with Mrs. Kaiba, the Rhodes family, the Yukis and Dr. Karen Otani. So please give everyone some space."

"Oh, yeah, because the Slifer Slacker lost his marbles?" asked a voice with a familiar Tennessee accent. Dr. Crowler and Chancellor Shepherd both turned toward the sound of the voice. Their eyes blazed with anger, which was a sight to see on Chancellor Shepherd.

"Terry Rogers," Atticus growled, his own rare anger sprouting up. "You'd better take that back!"

The parents were in shock at this. But what surprised everyone was Chazz. No one in the room was laughing at Terry's comments, but Chazz, in his mind's eye heard Terry's taunts from two years ago when he, Chazz, had risked demotion. He remembered how humiliated he had felt. At that moment, Charles Xavier Rhodes snapped. And within seconds, before his mother, father, brother or anyone else could stop him, Chazz ran, grabbed the teal-haired boy with the Benjamin Franklin-style spectacles and began punching. "DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT AGAIN, YOU JERK!!!" he shouted, fists flying.

For a moment, the room was frozen. "CHAZZ!!! BRO, STOP!!" Atticus yelled, running over to his brother. Some other Obelisk boys joined in, managing to separate Chazz from a very beaten Terry.

Terry growled. "Figures... you'd defend him, you Slifer sludge," he panted, sporting a black eye and bloody nose. His glasses, fortunately, had fallen off when Chazz had throttled him. Had Chazz not been stopped, he might have done a great deal of damage. Kisara knelt and checked Terry.

In the meantime, Chazz shook in his brother's grip. "He... had it coming... jerk..."

"Charles Xavier Rhodes, what were you thinking?!" Scout exclaimed.

"It's worth the suspension, Mom!" Chazz countered, his dark eyes flashing like a lightning-shot storm cloud. "Jaden's not nuts!"

"That may be true, Chazz, but there is never a good reason to attack anyone. Violence doesn't help anything; it only makes things worse," Jack explained seriously, knowing that Chazz needed to understand this message now and not later.

Chazz, still shaking and quite pale, nodded. "I... I know, Dad, and I'll take the punishment. It's just... It's just... Terry... He never cares and he tosses people away..."

"There are a lot of people like that in the world, bro. We'll always have to deal with them... Dad's right, fighting them like this won't help anything. We just need to stand up to them," Atticus said, loosening his grip on his younger brother.

"Yeah... Sometimes... they don't listen even if you stand up to them," the younger boy shivered.

"Chazz? Baby, what is it?" Scout asked gently.

"He's like...them," the boy muttered.

Jack frowned. "You're right, son... But you've stood up to them and Terry. Maybe not always in the right way, but you have. And it will be a long time before either of them tries anything again."

Chazz nodded quietly. Kisara had finished up with Terry by this time and now moved to Chazz. "You are going to have quite a sore knuckle," she scolded gently. "Remind you of anyone, Yugi?"

Yugi nodded, smiling a little. "Two someones... Both of whom now work together. But one of those someones is married to you."

"Do you mean Seto and Joey?" Atticus asked. Seto was a dead giveaway from Yugi's words, and he'd heard about Joey becoming in charge of Kaiba Corp. Air.

Yugi nodded. "Yes. They both tended to solve problems with their fists. Joey was more of a streetwise fighter, but Seto... Well, he's got a black belt in karate."

"He does?! Cool! I didn't know he had a black belt!" Atticus exclaimed, grinning.

"Oh, he does," Kisara answered, "and so do I. Chazz, you're going to have a scar..."

"Yeah... it's okay," he said as she made the last adjustment to a bandage. "There you go. Just take it easy on this tonight."

"I will, Kisara," Chazz promised, still angry with himself and yet… strangely satisfied.

Terry, scowling from where he sat, growled, "Yeah, hide behind them, you Slifer loser! You ain't fit to be here, and you went runnin' 'cause you knew it!"

That was the wrong thing to say. Yugi's violet eyes snapped. "You will be quiet, young man. He has as much right to be at this school as anyone else. He has proven his worth time and again. And what have you done?" Terry scowled at the King of Games.

"Just been cool," the teal-headed teen said angrily.

"What about making friends?" Yugi tried.

"Friends are nothin' unless they get you somewhere," the boy answered. Yugi sighed, remembering this argument made by others long ago.

"If only Tea was here with one of her friendship speeches," Atticus muttered, giving a wry grin.

"Oh, I can handle that," Kisara said. "Yugi, tell me if I get it wrong... Terry, you need friends and they aren't about getting you somewhere. They're about being there for you as you journey together. Friendship's a great thing and if you think it's all about power, then you are a sad individual..." Terry scowled, still unreceptive.

"He's been like this since our first year...I don't know if you're getting through to him, doc," Atticus said.

"Well, he'll have time to contemplate the meaning of friendship, of life and academic security," Dr. Crowler said sternly. "Chazz, you are receiving three days in-house suspension, which means you will study but you will not attend formal classes. As for you, Terry, for provoking Chazz and continuing in your actions, and since you were already suspended for your treatment of Miss Rhodes, you are hereby expelled from Duel Academy!" Then Terry exploded. His language was... memorable. The parents' jaws dropped in shock, the teens stared at the Obelisk with wide eyes, and the others in the room were stunned into silence.

Yugi's jaw dropped as Terry was promptly taken from the room. "And I thought I'd heard bad language when Joey hit his thumb trying to build Angela, Jo-Jo and Gina's tree house... and fixing the bathroom cabinet," he said, sweat-dropping.

"Does he kiss his mother with that mouth?" Hisoka muttered disapprovingly.

Chazz sighed. "I don't know... Mom... Dad... bro, sis... sorry..." He knew he'd done the wrong thing. 'But why did the wrong thing feel so good?' he wondered in his head.

Jack placed a hand on his youngest son's shoulder. "It's okay, son. You let your anger take the reins for a moment...it happens to all of us at one point or another."

"Yeah... I just... Am I like them?" he asked. "I...just had to hit him," he muttered, looking down at his bandaged right fist.

"Sweetie... that doesn't make you like them," Scout tried, sensing his fear of being like those he'd escaped.

"You know what you did was wrong, bro. You even said sorry...did they ever do that?" Atticus added.

"Well... when it started, they did," Chazz remembered at the edge of his memories. "But then... they kept going..."

Kisara sighed. "Chazz... there's a difference here that you're forgetting... You know the difference between right and wrong and you don't fight unless you feel you have to."

Scout nodded. "Sweetheart, you didn't need to hit Terry, but I think your heart was in the right place." Wordlessly, she pulled her youngest into a hug.

Jack and Atticus joined the family hug, knowing that Chazz was confused and needed support. "It's okay, bro..."

Chazz let himself relax into the hug. "Bro... is everyone else still with Jaden?" he asked after a long moment.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Atticus answered.

"We need to go there then... I'm okay," Chazz said finally. And so the group wandered back to the crowded dorm room. Jaden was still sound asleep. "He's been sleeping for about four hours," Miss Fontaine explained to the doctors and worried mothers. "He seems like he's resting easily now. He sleeps a lot in class..."

"He feels safer there," Crowler said thoughtfully as Jayda and Hisoka moved to the bedside as Alexis moved aside.

"Jay-Jay," Jayda murmured, brushing the boy's bangs from his face.

Hisoka placed his larger hand over his son's. "We're here, son..."

Jaden stirred slightly, but didn't cry out. Instead, he stayed in that calm sleep. "Vellian... what you said about Jaden," Karen began. "He sleeps in class a lot?"

Crowler nodded, taking an available seat. "Yes. He sleeps a lot in class. The only class he doesn't sleep in, I believe, is gym class." Fonda nodded confirmation. So Crowler continued, "He even slept in his favorite class in his first year, and that was with Professor Banner..."

"Hmmm... I think you're right," Karen said gently. "Syrus, Tyson, you've been his roommates. How well did he sleep in the dorms with you two?"

Tyson looked at Syrus meaningfully. "I think you know more than me, soldier..."

"Well, he always slept really deeply. It took me forever to wake him up for school in the morning, even when he didn't stay up late dueling," Syrus explained.

"What about when he didn't have a lot of people around him?" Karen asked curiously. "Did he look tired in the day?"

Syrus nodded. "Yeah. He'd take naps outside of class, too. Usually under his tree by the Slifer dorm."

Karen nodded, taking notes. "Hmm... he's good... He'd almost always act like nothing was bothering him?" Everyone looked at each other.

Jasmine answered. "Yeah. He's the one who always tries to cheer us up. When he's down... and that hasn't happened too often... we try to cheer him up, but mostly he comes out of it on his own." Karen nodded again, writing as quickly and accurately as she could.

"Hmmm... Alexis, you've been sleeping in the same room with him for a while. Does he ever stir in his sleep, cry out?" the counselor asked.

"Well...sometimes. But it never lasts long, and when I ask him about it, he says it was nothing."

Karen nodded, making another note. "Thanks, Alexis... Okay, here's what we're going to do. Guys, I know this is going to be rough, but I'm going to try something. We're going to let him sleep, but Alexis, you're going to sleep in another bed. Jayda and Hisoka, you can sleep in the other bed. I'll sit in this room and observe how he sleeps. If I'm right, he's not going to sleep easily once the rest of you are out of here."

No one liked that idea. "What? Leave the Sarge?!" Tyson yelped, not wanting to do it.

"But we can't just leave him! We said we'd be here!" Syrus added, thoroughly distressed by the idea.

"And I promised Jaden that I'd stay by him, too. I'm worried for him," Alexis said sincerely, frowning down at her fiancé's still form.

Karen sighed. "I have to know for sure that feeling like he's alone is part of this. If he is suffering a relapse of PTSD, then I'll know in a few hours. We'll do this tonight. Alexis, you won't leave this suite, and if he wakes up, you can be with him, okay?" She sighed, knowing Alexis wasn't entirely convinced. "This isn't easy, but this is how I'm going to know how to treat him... Guys, I'll be right in here."

Alexis also sighed, looking down. She knew she wouldn't get anywhere, and that Karen must know what she was doing. "...Fine..."

Jayda could see the doubt. "Alexis... honey... I know it's hard," she said, moving to touch her future daughter-in-law's hand. "I had to not be in the room with him one night... Remember, Hisoka?" she asked. Jaden had to be tested for sleep disorders and be observed by a psychologist one night, but Jayda and Hisoka couldn't be in the room with him.

Hisoka nodded. "Yes, I remember. Neither of us wanted to leave him alone for the night, but we had to. Just like now..."

"So Alexis, we understand," Jayda finished.

"I know...but it's still hard..." Alexis muttered, still a little upset by it.

Scout moved close and hugged her daughter as well. "Honey... somehow it's going to be all right... And Daddy and I are here for you too..."

Jack hugged Alexis with his wife comfortingly. "It's just for a night... Right, Karen?"

"I think so," Karen answered. "I may have to observe him for a couple of nights, but tonight he needs to be alone in the bed. If he has a really bad dream, Alexis, like I said, you can get in bed with him again..." Alexis nodded solemnly. She knew that it was for the best, and that she didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

_And so, it seems the gang can't be there for Jaden like they want to be. But it isn't the best for him that they stay in the room. So next time, the gang prepares for a long night in "__Phantasms." So until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	14. Phantasms

Chapter XIV: Phantasms

_Hello again, GX fans and fans of our story! Wow, lots of reviews this time, again! Not all of them were complimentary and we remember the words of the immortal Aesop: "You can't please everyone." Now, dear readers, Peach strongly suggests that you go to her profile and read her section entitled "Criticism Definitions 101" in order to best understand the difference between a flame, negative criticism and constructive criticism. Whenever you make a review, be it good or bad, be prepared to defend it reasonably._

_Everyone is welcome to exercise their freedom of speech; no one is disputing that. Freedom of speech goes both ways, however. If you say a character is a "Sue," for example, be prepared to explain why. You cannot just use a label and assume that everyone will agree with you. It may, in fact, be a matter of opinion. You may think it is a fact and others may agree with you, but consensus among a group does not make something a fact. Also, because an author does not or authors do not agree with your view does not mean the view is ignored or dismissed as a "flame." It means that someone disagrees. Too often in the world, we hear that people "didn't listen" because they didn't do as someone thought they should. _

_Furthermore, we would also like to remind you, as is stated in Peach's profile and in this collection that this timeline does __**not **__follow canon as we know it. Yes, we have some events that have occurred, but some did not because our timeline changes it. And such changes mean that the characters will be a bit different than we saw in the series. To make a change to a timeline means that you will alter events, thereby altering how a character or characters learn and grow. An example of this sort of story is Dark Horse Comics' "Star Wars: Infinities" series, where one specific event changed the course of events in the Star Wars universe. If you don't like this type of story, then perhaps it is not for you._

_Now before we move on, we'd like to give credit to Qu-ko for disagreeing with how we've written this story, but also being willing to engage in conversation and accepting with grace and civility that we have a different viewpoint about our universe. She may disagree, but she is willing to talk. We'd also like to thank MemoryStick for also being willing to engage us in civil conversation as well. We might disagree with each other, but we can accept that each of us has different viewpoints and also perhaps find common ground._

_As for the reviewer known as Teacher, if you'd like to engage in civil discussion, get an account and make a review from that account or post your email address in the space provided for the purpose in anonymous reviews. Or if you are who some people believe you to be, post from one of your two known accounts and allow us the opportunity to engage you in discussion. Neither of us will "flame" you, but we may respectfully disagree with you and we will explain why. _

_Finally to our loyal fans, we appreciate the defense, but sometimes, it is necessary to remember the adage that one must pick one's battles. You may like our story, but these other reviewers don't and are unlikely to change their minds. So please keep that in mind when you review. We thank you very much for your attention. Now on with the show!_

_Last time, Jaden's parents, Alexis, Atticus and Chazz's mom and dad, Yugi, Kisara and a very gifted counselor came to help the troubled Slifer and the rest of the gang. Dr. Otani decided that she needed to observe Jaden alone in his bed to see if his security lay in the people around him. So what will the evening bring? Read on…_

_**Disclaimer: Yet again… we don't own GX. What we do own are our OCs, this plotline and our interpretations.**_

_Authors' note: We'd like to thank the Mayo Clinic website as well as other websites that deal with post-traumatic stress disorder, and also RGZ Archer for their invaluable contributions to our understanding of the disorder. We believe that Jaden's reaction is true to him, given how bad his nightmares were when he was a little boy. The nightmare also is a worse vision of the third season. We know it didn't happen this way, but in Jaden's worst nightmares, he sees something worse than what we know occurred in canon. Thank you for your attention._

The late afternoon turned to evening and the group, save Alexis, Jayda, Hisoka and Karen Otani, went to their rooms. "I hate leavin' the Sarge like this," Tyson groaned softly in Spanish.

"We all do...but it must be done. It is for the best... Besides, he still has those closest to him there in case anything happens," Rosa soothed, remembering her own nightmare and the comfort that her fiancé had provided for her.

"Yeah... but dang it... I feel like... I'm abandonin' him," he answered, keeping her hand in his as they walked to the room.

She looked down, frowning. "My brother, Horatio, said the same thing when he left to go to art school...but he was worried for me."

Tyson got a soft expression on his face, realizing something about abandonment. "Remember my neighbor, George? He said to my daddy that when his mama was goin' through a rough patch after his baby sister died, he felt like he would be abandonin' his mama if he went out to play..."

Rosa looked up at him in slight surprise, but smiled a little as well. "That is what I thought if one of my brothers were injured."

Tyson's expression went from soft to content. "Hmmm... I guess we aren't really abandonin' him... We're right here..."

Rosa nodded. "Yes. We are still with him...just not beside him."

"Yeah," he agreed. And so they got in their room and got ready for bed.

Up on the third floor a short time later, Annie step-thumped to the bed on her crutches. "Sy, honey, are you okay?" she asked. He'd been quiet all the way up to the room and now he sat on the edge of the bed, looking away from her.

Syrus sighed heavily. "I don't know..."

Annie scooted to him, already in her night shirt. She put her arms around him, putting all her love for him into a hug. "Just... talk it out," she murmured.

Syrus's head dropped a little. "I don't..." He slowly reached up to place his hands on the arms wrapped around him. "I don't...know what I want to say..."

"To me? Or Jaden? Or you're not sure of what you're feeling?" she wondered, keeping him in the hug.

You...Jay...I-I don't know, maybe all three... It's so much," he whispered, shaking a little.

She lay down on the bed, taking him with her. She kept him wrapped in her arms, his head resting against her chest. "I'm here," she murmured softly. "I'm here..." His body continued to shake as hot tears slowly slipped out of his tightly closed eyes, dampening the front of her nightshirt. He didn't even understand what was making him cry like this...or maybe he did. It was just too confusing, too many things were happening at one time. Annie rubbed his back gently, trying to comfort him. She made soft soothing noises as well. Finally she spoke. "You're afraid something bad will happen..."

Syrus sniffled a little, opening his watery eyes slightly. "M-Maybe...it's just...all happening again...like it always does..."

"Or maybe," she said softly, stroking his hair, "maybe it's just a coincidence and all the stuff that happened... Jaden needs to release it..."

"If it was just Jaden...maybe... But..." He looked up at her with a serious expression. "There's Rosa, too... What if someone else gets like this, too? What if..."

Annie kept alternating between stroking his hair and rubbing his back. "Sy... if something like that happens... We have help and we will pull through it together. We've all been hurt in some way, and I know you've dealt with more that a lot of us..." She knew all too well that the events of the past two years had taken their toll on Syrus. He was so gentle and sweet that all of this could've broken him.

It likely would have, had it not been for his fiancée, surrogate brother, close friends, and finally his blood brother opening up at long last. Syrus sniffled again, comforted by her movements and words. "I-I guess you're right...we always have gotten through stuff like this together..."

"And you've had to watch it all... You're stronger than a lot of people think," she said, shifting so she could meet his silvery-gray eyes.

"I guess I am...especially since our first year... I wanted to make myself stronger so that I could actually do something...and to help you," he replied, managing a small smile.

"I think you've helped Jaden, and I know you helped Zane pull through his darkest hour. When he came back here, you kept him together," she smiled back.

"You...you really think so?" he asked.

She nodded. "I know so. What if Zane hadn't come back to us? I don't want to think of the possibility..."

He looked down. "Neither do I..."

She sighed as he rested against her chest once more. "Well, maybe it's good we haven't found out. But we are going to pull Jaden through this. All of us will... Sy... we're all fighting this together... I think Axel and Tyson were right. We've all got it to some degree..."

"You mean...the PTSD?"

Annie nodded solemnly. "Think about it. We've all had definite traumas in the past two years. And the way we react... it's entirely possible we have PTSD... But we'll get through it together. It may be mild for most of us..."

"If it's mild...then how is it different from what Jaden has?" Syrus asked, a little confused.

"Sy," Annie began, "Jaden's reacted differently than us, and he's had more to deal with. And what he said about not having friends early on... And then remember how he mentioned what happened to his mom?"

Syrus nodded. "Yeah...I guess I can see why his is so much worse than ours... He only had his parents before he came to Duel Academy..." Most of their group had had siblings or friends, but Jaden was an only child with no friends.

"And he almost lost his mom after Yubel left and he was going through those nightmares," she sighed, referring to Jaden's mother's bout with a form of breast cancer. "But now he does have us, and we aren't ditching him. Those kids were meaner to him than my classmates at my old school."

"Yeah...they were even meaner than that bully I dueled in elementary school," he agreed, frowning at the old memory that had haunted him during their first year.

"You might've won or lost that duel, hon, but… you at least stood up to him," she smiled.

He nodded, matching her smile. "I know that now...I wish all duels could just be like that..." Of course, he was referring to the shadow games, or even the true shadow games that killed the loser **and** trapped their soul in the Shadow Realm.

"Me, too, Sy... me too," she answered softly, kissing him softly on the lips. He returned the kiss, but neither put anything more into it. It was late and had been a long day, both teens had heavy worries on their minds. Somehow, Sy and Annie fell into a deep sleep where neither one recalled dreaming.

In the other room in the suite, Bastion stood in his green flannel boxer shorts and green t-shirt staring out the window out to the ocean. However, it is questionable if he actually was looking at the ocean. For once, both he and Violet had been pretty quiet since returning to their room. They'd both changed; Violet into pink pants and an old yellow souvenir shirt she'd gotten from a school trip to Washington, D.C. While Bastion stared out the window, she had been diligently brushing out her hair. Finally, she sighed and set down the brush, sliding off the bed to walk over to her fiancé. Wrapping her slim arms around his waist from behind, she rested her cheek against his muscular back. "Bastion...I know you're not looking at the view," she muttered quietly.

He jerked slightly out of his reverie and placed his hands on the pair that was touching his chest. "I suppose you're right, darling. This... this is one of those moments where I wish pure logic could see us through. Jaden is psychologically in shambles. If it wasn't for him, and the rest of you, I doubt I'd be the person I am. He saw through me and made friends..."

She couldn't help but smile, turning to nuzzle her nose into his slightly ticklish back and breathing in his scent. "I know...he did that with all of us, I think. But I see you still try turning to logic for answers...you haven't changed as much as you think."

Bastion chuckled at her touch and turned so he could put his arms around her. He sobered. "Violet, love, old habits die hard. And whenever something like this happens, it seems old patterns come into play..."

Violet looked up at him in understanding. "You're right. I have to stop myself when I start thinking this is somehow my fault because I'm bad luck... We both have hard habits to break."

Bastion nodded, gray eyes clearly worried. "This is not your fault. What happened to Jaden occurred before any of us knew him. That he's actually remained as he has been is probably nothing short of a miracle. Children and teens are worse off with PTSD, apparently. When I was small, I was watching Dr. Phil with Mum, and the show mentioned that children who are placed in foster care for example undergo more trauma than people who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Children can adapt to nearly any situation, but the damage can be critical."

It was a long moment before Violet replied, having lost track of Bastion's long rambling as usual. When her brain finally caught up, she blinked. "Oh...well, we all kind of have it, don't we? I think it changed each of us in varying degrees...I mean, whether it showed or not..."

Bastion nodded. "We've all been nearly killed... injured emotionally... Jaden's just the one who has it the worst..."

"And...I don't think Chazz is too far behind," Violet added after a moment's consideration.

"Hmmm... Chazz was through significant trauma as well. How he kept his sanity... Chazz suffered things that Jaden didn't... I wonder what kept Chazz sane..."

"Maybe the only thing that in the end can keep most people sane...the thought that things will get better, that there's a light at the end of the tunnel."

Bastion finally managed a smile at that. "I think so, love. Hope can be a wonderful motivator. You have been that for me..."

Violet grinned happily. "And you've been a big source of hope for me, Bastion-baby. More than once..."

He leaned down and kissed her gently. "I just wish," he said when they broke apart, "that I could've saved you better..."

Violet smiled softly, reaching up to place her hand on his cheek. "All that matters is that you saved me... We're both alive and well because of you."

Bastion held her to him again, smiling back. But deep within him, a part of his psyche wondered, "Are we really well?" For there was a very strong undercurrent of doubt and pain from his own failures. And at the same time, Violet's own subconscious let the same question slip. But rather than failures, it was a different feeling making her doubtful. Fear. Of the past repeating itself without warning.

"Darling, let's try to get some rest," Bastion murmured. "I have a presentiment we'll need it in the next few days..."

Violet yawned. "Sounds good to me. Let's hit the hay!"

They walked to the bed, wrapped in the safety of each other's arms, and snuggled in the bed. "Good night, love," Bastion murmured as she rested her head against his muscular chest.

Violet smiled as she closed her eyes. "Good night, Bastion..."

But Bastion lay awake for nearly an hour after Violet drifted off to sleep. 'Can I protect her this time? Or will I fail?' he wondered in his head. Though he couldn't see it, a shadow in the room grinned with malevolence.

All over the academy, students were falling asleep. Down at Slifer, Chazz Rhodes lay in his bed, trying to relax, knowing that his sister was up at Obelisk, scared for her fiancé. And he knew that Jaden would be scared if he woke up and found that Alexis wasn't in bed with him. 'Don't let anything bad happen,' he mentally prayed. 'Jaden's had enough... let him have tonight... Please?'

And back at Obelisk, Aster Phoenix sighed in the room he'd gotten late last school year. "This is my fault... part of it," he sighed to himself. He'd heard from Atticus this afternoon what had happened, and it hurt because he still felt partly responsible for what had happened with Sartorius. "But... I can help make it right," he said, looking at the card he held, Destiny Hero Dark Angel. "Right, Dad?" he asked, wishing that his father could answer somewhere other than in his head.

"Right, son... Just believe in your abilities and trust your new friends... I'm here for you," whispered a voice, barely audible because of how faint it was, as if its owner was far, far away.

Aster smiled, just able to hear that voice. "Thanks, Dad... I miss you so much..."

"I miss you too, Aster... Sleep now...you'll need your strength..." Aster's father, like most spirits, could sense the impending danger. But he couldn't tell his son. And so Aster climbed into bed, tucking Dark Angel into the breast pocket on his pajamas. He fell asleep peacefully, and no dreams scared him.

In another room in the girls' dorms, Mindy and Jasmine lay awake in their beds, wishing they could be with their boyfriends on this night. Mindy and Jasmine, upon moving out of the room they had shared with Alexis for two years, had moved into a suite not unlike Annie and Violet's room. But instead of both girls sleeping in separate rooms, they had requested and gotten a set of white bunk beds for one of the bedrooms. They used the other bedroom as a combination walk-in closet and study nook. Tonight, both young women were glad for the arrangement. Mindy shifted in her bed on the top bunk and called softly, "Jasmine... you awake?"

Jasmine sighed, rolling over onto her back. "Yeah..."

The dark-haired girl stuck her head over the edge of her bed and looked down. "We're both worried about the same thing, aren't we?"

Jasmine propped herself up on her elbows, looking up at her black-haired friend. "That depends... What are you worried about?"

Mindy sighed, brushing her coal-black tresses and making out Jasmine's auburn locks in the low light of the night light in the bedroom. "I'm worried about everybody... including Chazz..."

"Then...yeah, I guess we are. Jay… Chazz... Rosa... I'm getting a bad feeling here..."

"Yeah. They've been through so many bad things... I mean, Rosa's ex-boyfriend tried to kill her, Chazz's... they're not his brothers anymore... tried to kill him... And Jaden... every bad guy we've faced seems to go after him... But they go after us too..."

Jasmine nodded. "But...I think that's because of two reasons. Either they're going after everyone, but consider Jaden a threat... Or they target us too because we're close to him."

"Yeah... it's probably because they know we're his damage point. If we're gone, he might give up... Or he'll make dumb mistakes and get captured..."

"He puts himself at risk to save us... Who wouldn't use that to their advantage?" Neither of the girls knew that Darkness was watching, their words only confirming his plans.

"Exactly... That's what makes Jaden Jaden... I think we both knew that when he didn't leave Sy hanging..."

"So did Alexis...no wonder she fell for him," Jasmine mused, remembering that night two years previously when they had kidnapped Syrus in order to lure Jaden into a duel.

Mindy nodded. "But he wasn't my type..."

"Mine neither... I think we found good guys of our own," Jasmine said, smiling.

"We did... I know I have to be slow with Chazz," Mindy explained. "He's not ready for a lot yet..."

"With Atticus...I just need to keep an eye on those fan girls of his. And remember that half of what he says is innocent teasing," the redhead nodded with a slight smile.

Mindy smiled. "Yeah... half the girls on campus were jealous when you two started dating..."

The redhead sweat-dropped, remembering the first week after they started seeing each other. "That...was a lot of death glares I received..."

"Yeah... well, I think it's great you got him... I think you guys needed each other... And you fit..."

"I guess we do... I never thought it would be him, though... Did you think it would be Chazz?"

Mindy was grateful for the low light because now she was turning red. "I thought he'd be nice to get to know... But I really wasn't sure. I found out at the end of the last school year that he was... And we emailed each other and IMd when we could..."

"Atticus was kind of out-of-the-blue for me... I mean, I had a crush, but so did almost every other girl... I was surprised when he said he'd go out with me..."

"Yeah. He's really nice and such a gentleman," Mindy answered, yawning, finally.

Jasmine grinned. "Tired?"

The raven-haired girl's next yawn said it for her. "I just wish Chazz was here..."

The other young woman's grin turned into a slight frown. "Yeah...it would be nice to have Atty here," she muttered, dropping to the pillow.

"We'll... see them in the morning," Mindy murmured as her head hit the pillow.

"You're right...night, Mindy," Jasmine said through a yawn, closing her eyes. And both girls were sound asleep, dreaming of their boyfriends.

All was peaceful in the Duel Academy dormitories until about 1 AM. As most students slept, one young woman began to toss in her fiancé's strong arms. It was another nightmare. But fortunately for Rosa, it was a normal one that a person might have every now and then. In her dream, Rosa was no longer a teenager. Instead, she was a little girl around the age of six or seven, wearing a dress similar to the ones she wore at Duel Academy. It was her first day of school, and it was the first time she was meeting other children face-to-face. All had been going well, until the children were allowed a short break between lessons to go outside and play. The boys quickly started a game of football, or soccer as it was called in America.

The girls all grouped together and started playing with their homemade dolls. Rosa had never been one to play with dolls, so she turned her attention to the football match. "Can I play?" she asked excitedly.

The boys all looked at her with incredulous expressions. "You? Play football? But you're a girl!"

"Girls are too weak to play football!"

"Go play dolls with the other girls!" the boys jeered, going back to their game and not giving Rosa a second glance. Rosa frowned, fist clenching. She wouldn't cry...crying was for weaklings. No one in her family ever cried. Seeing another football, or soccer ball, Rosa picked it up and walked over to the girls.

She still didn't like dolls much, and hoped they would play football with her. "Do you want to play football with me?" she asked hopefully.

The girls looked up from their dolls in surprise and distaste. "Football?"

"That's a boy game!"

"We'd get our dolls dirty!"

"If you want to get all dirty and smelly like a boy, go play with them!" The girls' snappy replies made Rosa cringe, and she turned away. With no one to play with, she walked sadly over to a wall and played by herself, using the wall to have the ball bounce back to her. Once, she missed, and the ball rolled past her. Turning around, she was met by her classmates' taunting faces.

"Are you a girl or a boy?"

"Maybe she's both!"

"She's so strange!"

"She's a boy-girl!"

"Chicao, chicao!!" The insult, a cross between "chico" for boy and "chica" for girl, rang around Rosa like endless jabs to her emotions. "Rosadina Terelino, you're the only boy-girl!"

Younger Rosa fell to her knees, returning to her teenage self and burying her face in her hands. "I am not a chicao...I'm not...I'm a girl..." Darkness slowly seeped into the previously harmless nightmare, apparently having decided to create more distress for Rosa and more tension for the group at the worst of times. The nightmare took a dark turn...

Jorge Quienso, a young man with raven hair and olive skin, along with piercing brown eyes appeared in her dreams. In life, he had been cunning and evil and at first, hadn't looked intimidating. But in Rosa's nightmare, his face was contorted into pure malevolence. "Rosa... you are mine," he said, grabbing her wrist possessively.

Rosa stared at the nightmarish version of her ex-suitor, the same person who had tried to kill both Tyson and herself out of jealousy. Jorge had indeed grabbed her a few times when they had been alone back in Calientara, but this felt different...more threatening. Still, she frowned and glared at him. "Wrong. I belong to no one, Jorge! Now let go of me!"

Instead of letting go, he twisted her arm, which caused her shoulder to rotate painfully. "I am your suitor," he countered, "and I will do with you as I please!"

She gritted her teeth, eyes narrowing slightly in pain. "You...are only a suitor! You are not my husband and never will be! My father will never let someone like you marry me!!"

"I have won the challenge," he growled softly, "and that means I will be your husband." He abruptly pulled her to him and kissed her roughly. It was a predatory kiss, devoid of love, showing only animal lust. He would take what he wanted from her, no matter her wishes.

She pushed against him, trying to back out of the kiss. It didn't make her feel warm and tingly, it only left her cold and sent a shiver down her spine. But he had his arms tightly around her, and he was stronger than her father. In reality, Rosa pulled in a sharp breath, pushing roughly against Tyson. His arms felt too much like...HIS arms. But in her dreams, it was Jorge she was trying to get away from.

Tyson, in the real world, awoke abruptly at the shove and fell out of bed. "SAM HILL! Rosa?!" he yelped, getting off his butt and back in bed. "Darlin'! Wake up!" he called out.

But in the nightmare, Jorge jerked when Rosa managed to break free, but he still held her wrist. "How dare you?!" he shouted, his open palm moving to strike her hard across the face.

Rosa let out a small cry of pain, both in the nightmare and in real life. She forced back tears as she shakily lifted a hand to the red mark in her dream. "L-Let go of me! I'm not yours!" she stammered, wondering where her true fiancé was. "Tyson...Tyson," she muttered in reality, mind reaching out for him.

And in the real world, Tyson took her hand and remembered what to do to wake her. He took her hand and squeezed it. "I'm right here," he murmured. And in the nightmare, the image of Jorge wavered as Tyson's form appeared.

Relief washed over Rosa upon sight of him in her mind, and she pulled roughly on the hand holding her wrist. "Tyson!" she called out in both worlds. In her dream, she reached out to him with her hand.

Tyson in the dream world moved between her and Jorge. "You scumbag... Don't you ever lay a hand on her again! You ain't her fiancé. I am and I love her... And you ain't fit to be with her if you try to force her into things!" And then, with her behind him, Tyson slugged Jorge in the face and the older boy vanished. "It's all right... I'm here..."

And in the real world, Tyson took the outstretched hand. "Darlin'... Rosa... I'm right here... Whoever's scarin' you... I'll protect you..."

In her dream, Rosa hugged Tyson lovingly and let her eyes fall closed. And in real life, her eyes opened and she shook from the feeling of suddenly being wide awake. It was like last night all over again...but not as bad. "Tyson..."

He pulled her into his strong arms as they sat up, not a word beyond comforting language being exchanged between them for a long moment. And then he asked, "What was it tonight?"

She frowned, staying close against him. "It...it was different...at first..." She had to think about how to explain it before she continued. "It was a normal nightmare... Something that happened when I was little..."

"What happened?" he asked again, concerned as her head rested against his chest. "It's all right to be scared by this... don't hold back..."

"I-I'm not scared..." It was true. This part of the nightmare hadn't scared her, it had simply made old memories surface. As Rosa began to describe what had happened, she realized that she had never told Tyson about being an outcast in childhood. In fact... 'Am I the only one who has not brought up their past...?' she wondered, frowning as she finished explaining.

Tyson's face was as soft and sad as Rosa had ever seen. This was a side of her that she had never willingly shared with him. And how he wished she had. But now wasn't the time to ask why. What mattered was that she had opened up. "Darlin', you were just a special girl that they couldn't understand. That doesn't make you what they called you. You just are... amazin'..."

Rosa couldn't help but be a little surprised by Tyson's expression. "But...I've always been different...haven't I? I'm not a boy...but I don't act like most girls..." Even Violet and Alexis were more girly than her, and they were both tomboys.

Tyson moved her so he could look into the beautiful brown eyes of the woman he'd fallen in love with. "You're you and that's who I fell in love with. Spanish Rose... you are unique. And I wouldn't have you any other way... You're pretty, funny and you're strong."

Rosa felt like crying...though she wasn't sure out of what emotion. Her eyes glistened with tears, but they didn't fall. "Tyson...you..." She smiled, heart fluttering in her chest at his words. "I love you...so much..."

"And I love you... You are the best thing to happen to me... And I don't know what I did to deserve such a wonderful young woman as my wife..." And then he kissed her gently, the love obviously there.

It was so different from the nightmare kiss that Rosa felt she could have died happily then and there. However, when they pulled away, she was glad she hadn't so that she could remain with Tyson. "There is no one who could be a better husband...Ty-Ty..."

He rubbed her back gently to relax her. "Why don't we lie back down?" he asked. "We can just cuddle 'til we get back to sleep..."

"Ah...okay..." She decided that maybe it would be best not to mention the part of her nightmare that had truly scared her. Suddenly, a thought struck her and she gently pulled out of Tyson's grasp. "I...I need to get something..."

He let go, letting her out of the bed. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's...a thing," she muttered, blushing a little. Rosa went over to her closet and opened it, reaching down to pull out the suitcase she'd brought all the way from Spain. Rummaging through it; it had a few dresses and small mementos from home; her eyes widened slightly as she found what she was looking for. Rosa pulled out a doll, obviously homemade by its appearance. Sack cloth filled with beans made up the body, and a face was painted on in black. A scrap of satiny red cloth was used for a dress, and the hair was sewn from black thread so that it fell in waves. Rosa clutched the doll to her, its scent the same as it had been years ago. Rosemary...paint... 'Home,' she thought, eyes closing.

When she returned to the bed, doll in her arms, Tyson smiled. "Oh, my... did you make that yourself?" he queried.

Rosa blushed a little again, slightly embarrassed. "N-No... Mama and Horatio made it for me...when I was little... To keep me company..."

"She's really pretty," Tyson offered. He had a soft spot for homemade dolls. Perhaps this was because of a doll his mother had made as a little girl and shown to her son when he was recovering from the incident in Utah.

Rosa looked over at him. "I...remembered that I had brought her...because of the nightmare..."

He put his arm around her, and she was holding the doll as she would a newborn baby. It felt new, but strangely familiar. "Well," he said, "I'm glad you have her here..."

"I am too... I feel...even safer, now... Like I'm home," she replied, closing her eyes.

"Then let's just relax," he murmured, moving so they could lie down, the doll with them. And then he sang a soft lullaby his mother had sang to him when he was small. The song reminded her of her own mother's lullabies. And with the combined feeling of safety and comfort, she finally managed to fall into a peaceful sleep. And their dreams after that were peaceful.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Back on the first floor, about 2 AM, Jaden started to moan in his sleep. His parents, unable to sleep were up like shots when they heard their only child moaning. Karen Otani, also awake, sat up in her chair. "It's starting," she muttered, eyes narrowing.

Alexis, too, was awake in an instant. "Jaden...? Karen, is it a nightmare??" she asked worriedly.

Karen nodded. "I think so," she whispered. "We just have to see what happens. Jayda, we can't wake him... Not yet..."

Jayda was already getting up, but sat down. "Jay-Jay," she murmured.

Hisoka put an arm around his wife comfortingly, and placed his free hand on Alexis's arm. He, too, hated to have to leave Jaden in the throes of a bad dream. But he knew it had to be done. "Just this once, girls...it'll be all right..."

Had Hisoka seen into his son's dreams, he would've wanted to wake Jaden immediately. Jaden, meanwhile, found himself in the dark place in his nightmares again. "Where am I?" he asked, walking through a burned down village. "What happened here?" And then, human figures started rising from the burned out shells. "What the..?!"

And the figures coalesced. "Jaden... why?" Bastion asked. His skin was pale, there was a gash along his cheek and his coat was singed. "Why did you sacrifice us?"

"I... I didn't!" he yelped, feeling his heart ripping at the sight of his dead friend.

"Jaden," Syrus called, just as pale as Bastion and lips tinged a lifeless blue. His skin was badly burned and there was a large gash in his side. "Why? I thought you were our friend..."

"Sy... I didn't... I'd never hurt you," Jaden pleaded, tears coming to his eyes. But the torture wasn't done yet.

Annie emerged from the shadows, corpse white. There was a huge blood stain on the front of her uniform. "Jaden... you took us away," she said sadly. "You killed us all... Why did you do it?"

"Annie... guys," he moaned.

"Traitor," Tyson growled, his animated corpse bullet-ridden and his eyes flashing with hatred. "You didn't care anything about us... You sent us into battle... and you didn't care if we came back..."

"You promised!" Atticus snapped, face covered in dried blood and his head obviously split open. "You said that you would keep my baby sister safe, Jaden!"

"Liar," Alexis stated beside him, coldly. Stab wounds littered her snow white skin, dried blood making a line from her mouth to her chin.

Chazz came forward, his chest bare. His last moments of life had clearly been horrific. He had cuts and welts caused by whips on his back, blood all over his pants, a bruised and bloody face and hair matted with his own blood. "You killed us all, Slacker... And for what? Nothing..."

Jaden sank to his knees, trembling. "No... no... I... I wouldn't," he cried, whimpering like a beaten puppy. And another figure burst from the scene, but she at least looked very much alive. Purple hair, green eyes... "Violet?" he asked.

The green snapped into red, and a very unfitting smirk crossed her lips. "Close… And yet so, so cold," "Violet" giggled, though it sounded far too sweet as she hopped up to sit on a crumbled wall. "Hmmm...Poor, poor Jaden. Isn't it sad to know that you caused everyone's untimely demise? Heh heh… Rosa would be here too, but she had some trouble finding her head!" Her expression turned cruel as she made a slicing motion across her neck with a finger, then laughed menacingly.

"No," Jaden moaned. "I couldn't have..."

"Oh, but I could have," a voice that sounded something like his, but not like his countered softly, cruelly. He turned to see... himself, clad in black in black armor and burning golden eyes. "You made sure he knows what he... and we did, Mary?" the dark version of Jaden asked cruelly as two other figures, one with wings and the other in black leather, came out of the fog.

A sadistic grin spread across "Violet's" lips, though Jaden's double had clearly called her Mary. "Of course! You know how I love mental torture. Of course...physical is just as fun. Heh heh..."

"We all did kill...but it would have been impossible without Jaden," the winged figure said cruelly.

Jaden knew the figure. "Yubel... why? These are my friends," he moaned, tears racing down his face. "Why?"

Yubel grinned. "Because now I have you all to myself at last, Jaden... I love you, and no one else deserves to be with you but ME."

"It's because of you that I'm like this, Jay!" stated the other figure in a familiar accent.

Jaden looked at the other figure. "J-Jesse?" As in the previous nightmare, the Southern boy's eyes glowed orange. And Jaden knew what had happened. "Yubel, please let him go!"

"Why should I? The two of you are so alike... And besides, he's the reason you came here and got everyone killed. Allowing all of your friends to die for one person...how selfish of you, Jaden," Yubel replied, acting disappointed in him.

"And in the end you didn't even save me, Jay," Jesse added for another blow.

"Like I said," "Violet" stated as she hopped down and walked over to stand beside the others. "Poor, poor Jaden! Looks like your luck simply ran out. How...does that make you feel?" she asked, saying the last word in a harsh undertone. All four figures laughed at Jaden's expense, mercilessly unfeeling.

Jaden's armor-clad twin stopped long enough to say, "You're weak... you're pathetic. You won't embrace my power... What are you?" he asked.

Jaden couldn't answer for a long moment, he was crying so hard. The accusing eyes of the dead glared at him. And Jaden stood. "If I killed my friends... I don't deserve to be here," he said, his own eyes going blank.

"Then disappear, Jaden. Become Haou once and for all or, better yet, join your soul with mine," Yubel stated, holding out her arms to him.

"No," Jaden answered softly, producing a knife from... he didn't know where. "I'm making this better... If I killed all of you... then I don't live..." And with that, he stabbed himself, collapsing to the dirt as his life blood poured from him.

His dark side stood over his bleeding form. "Good riddance..."

"I'll miss you, Jaden," Yubel stated, frowning.

"You're going to Hell for what you've done," Jesse/Yubel said without emotion. "Such a beautiful death. Blood looks good on you, Ja-den!" "Violet" added with a very sadistic grin.

And in the real world, Jaden shook and cried in his sleep. "What... I... deserve... I didn't..." And then he snapped awake, shrieking incoherently as he had when he was younger.

"Jay-Jay," Jayda said, moving to her frightened child, lifting him into her arms.

He blinked, tears flooding from his eyes. "M-mommy... D-Daddy," he moaned, like a much younger child.

Hisoka and Alexis were there as well, Alexis the most frightened out of the three. Unlike Jayda and Hisoka, she had never seen Jaden like this before. And it scared her more than anything had before. "Jaden...son...we're right here," Hisoka said soothingly.

He was visibly shaken and sweaty. "Lex? You're here? You're not dead?" he asked, voice cracking.

She looked at him in shock. "Jay...no, I'm not dead. Of course I'm here... Was I...dead in your dream...?"

"Everybody... I... you said... I killed you... And Jesse, Violet... went bad... 'cause of me," he whimpered, "and a guy who wasn't me... but kinda was... said I did it... and Yubel..." He held onto her, shaking and crying when he couldn't say another word.

She kept a tight hold on him, his words slowly sinking in. No wonder he was terrified, just the description gave her chills. To experience it firsthand... "Oh, Jaden... It's only a dream... We're all alive, and I know that you would never kill any of us..."

"But... it's my fault... I should... do what I did because... I need to be punished... Babe, I deserve it..."

Jayda's eyes widened at this. "Honey, what are you talking about?" she asked, alarmed.

"I...stabbed... blood everywhere," Jaden murmured.

Hisoka stared at his son in shock. "You...you killed yourself, Jaden?"

Alexis looked up, meeting Jaden's frightened eyes with her distressed ones. "Jaden...don't say that... You did nothing to deserve to die!"

"Bad... deserve it..." Jaden's arms went weak and he sank against Alexis.

Karen moved forward. "Lay him down..." They did so. His eyes were closed now, the adrenaline in his system from the horrible dream leeching out.

"Angel," Jayda murmured, tears smarting in her eyes. "How could he say that?"

"This happens," Karen sighed. "And he did say it before when that other boy was hurt..."

Hisoka sighed. "He did...to say Jayda and I were shocked is definitely an understatement... A suicidal seven-year-old is not something one wants to see...especially if it's their own child..."

"He doesn't go to class in the morning," Karen said. "And I think I need to update the staff and faculty, with your permission, of course." Jayda and Hisoka nodded.

"Karen, do what you have to do," Jayda said softly. "I'll get him a clean pair of jammies..." Jaden's sweat and tears had made his pajamas and bed very damp.

"Karen...is he...is he going to be okay?" Alexis asked shakily, hand pressed over Jaden's.

Karen Otani nodded. "It's going to be difficult, Alexis, but I think we can pull him back from this. He's at a very low point now... and whatever he's seeing..."

"We can't put him on the drugs again," Jayda said softly. "He was so messed up..."

Karen nodded again. "I'll do everything I can to help him..."

"Can I...can I sleep with him in the bed now?" Alexis asked, hope filling her voice.

"We'll move him over to your bed, Alexis... his sheets are damp. It's like he ran two miles," Karen answered. "We'll get him into some dry pajamas and then you two can sleep in the same bed, okay?"

Alexis sighed in relief. "Okay. Thanks, Karen...I want to be there for him..."

"You are, more than you know," Jayda smiled, wiping her eyes as she went to get a fresh pair of pajamas and boxer shorts.

Within a few short minutes, Jaden was in dry boxers and pajamas and in Alexis's warm, dry bed. As the young couple got situated, Karen called Jaden's parents out in the hall. "This is very serious, guys..."

"Karen...is this as bad as it was before?" Hisoka dared to ask.

"I'd have to say yes... but there is a difference this time... he has friends that will stand by him. And they won't let him hurt himself if he tries..."

Jayda shivered. "How could he even think..? Oh, Hisoka," she moaned.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "I know it's hard to even imagine, Jayda... But it's a startling possibility...that won't become a reality thanks to the circumstances..."

"I'll set up the faculty/staff meeting in the morning, guys," Karen promised. "The best thing we can do is get some rest. He's going to need everyone in the morning..." Jayda nodded and she and Hisoka headed back into the darkened bedroom.

Jaden had unconsciously turned in Alexis's grip so she was holding him to herself. "Don't leave," he murmured in his sleep.

"I won't, Jay...I'm right here," she whispered, slowly drifting off herself.

And in the other big bed, Jayda Yuki cuddled against her husband. "He's so scared," she whispered.

"We'll help everyone drive those fears away," he murmured softly.

"Why did this come back now?" she asked in anguish, trying to hold back the tears. "He doesn't deserve this..."

"No... he doesn't... But we knew it would return eventually... Perhaps...now is better than later..."

"Dr. Yancy said it might return... or it might not... When his duel spirits returned, I guess we knew..."

"Jayda...I think that for Jaden to be truly happy...he needs to get through this..."

Jayda nodded. "I know... I just wish... he could have gotten through it that first time..." She held him a little tighter. "Just hold me..." He silently nodded, pulling her close and placing a gentle kiss on her head. And soon the worried parents were asleep. Karen Otani also got comfortable on a couch in the room and drifted off as well.

"_Under the tongue root, a fight most dread. Another rages behind in the head." This is a translation of the poem "Cad Goddeu," or "Battle of the Trees." Many of you know this poem in a different form, from Star Wars: Episode I's Duel of the Fates. Jaden is now in his own mental battle and is facing a battle in the real world. But with his friends at his side in this timeline, perhaps matters will be better. So next time, please join us for "Awakening." Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	15. Awakening

Chapter XV: Awakening

_Welcome back, GX fans and fans of this version of the Yugi-verse! Yes, somehow we've managed to speed up in our updates and we hope you're okay with that. Anyway, thanks again to all our reviewers and don't worry about your defenses of us and this fic. We do appreciate that we have such wonderful, passionate fans. And we'd like to welcome our new readers and reviewers. New and old, you make two authors very happy! Now, on with the story!_

_Last time, Jaden had a horrific nightmare of a possible alternate timeline where all of his friends were murdered and then came back as zombies. Meanwhile, Rosa relived a nightmare of her own, partly based on reality, but also based on the twisting of Darkness. So what awaits the gang with the morning? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: No, we don't own GX. We probably never will. We just own our OCs, this plot and this version of the Yugi-verse. Also, please remember that this is an alternate timeline, much like the Star Wars alternate timelines portrayed in the "Star Wars: Infinites" series of graphic novels. Thank you!**_

_Authors' note: This again, may not be the most cheerful of chapters. There will be some appropriate jokes, but this will again be a serious chapter. Also, Jaden may seem very different, but it is an accurate reaction due to post-traumatic stress disorder, which does cause hallucinations. And Adrian does an impression. That may be interpreted as OOC. Thank you!_

The next morning, Jaden didn't wake up in time for class which in itself, wasn't an abnormality, though this semester it hadn't happened. The rest of the gang had gotten up and gotten to class, and roll was called. "Hanson, Annie!" Dr. Crowler called.

"Here, sir!" she answered cheerily.

"Truesdale, Syrus!" the teacher continued, not going in any particular order.

"Here!" Syrus answered, glancing around. He hadn't seen Jaden yet...

Crowler went through roll call, but didn't call for Alexis and Jaden. "Everyone, I have an announcement to make. Now that we've taken attendance, I must leave for an emergency staff meeting. One of our students is out of class today and we need to discuss what we can do for that student. So you may go and study where you wish for the period. Remember that we have a quiz on Friday on the subject of famous dueling taunts. Class dismissed," he concluded and left the room.

"It's Jaden," Annie murmured, gripping her fiancé's hand.

Syrus frowned deeply. "Should we...go see if he's okay? I mean..."

The class had cleared out quickly, except for their group. "Both Jaden and Alexis aren't here," Bastion said, coming to Annie and Sy with Violet in tow. "It was a rough night for them, perhaps..."

"It probably was... I'm still feeling a lot of bad karma; it may have even gotten worse... We should go check on them," Violet agreed.

Annie took a breath. "I'm not sure we should yet," she sighed, face framed with worry. "Maybe... we should wait until we hear something..."

"But what if we don't hear anything?" Syrus asked worriedly.

"We will... they can't keep us in the dark... Besides... Alexis is there and Jack and Scout will tell Chazz and Atticus, and then those two will tell us... We don't want to just descend on Jaden all at once," she concluded.

Violet sighed. "Guess you're right. But what do we do until then?"

"What else? Study," Bastion sighed.

Tyson groaned. "Yeah... guess we got no choice..." But they did, because at that moment, Atticus came from the top of the stairs. He'd been late to class, but with permission because his mother had called him early in the morning to come talk to her.

"Hey, guys," the tanned and brown-haired Obelisk greeted, walking down the stairs and stopping beside them.

"Hey, Lieutenant Atticus... Have you heard anything?" Tyson asked.

"Yeah, can we see Jaden yet?" Annie asked.

Atticus shook his head. "Not until noon... Guys, Mom heard from Jayda that he had a really bad night... He's still sleeping, along with Lexi..."

"How... how bad?" Bastion ventured to ask. Annie put her arm around Syrus, in case it was really, really bad.

"Well... Mom didn't tell me too many details... All she told me was that it was enough to make him wake up screaming...and crying," Atticus muttered, looking down.

Syrus's eyes went wide. "Jay..."

"He'll be all right," Annie murmured, trying to reassure her love. "So... all we can do is wait?"

Atticus nodded, gravely serious. "Yeah. Mom specifically told me that Jay wasn't to be disturbed before noon..."

It was then that Chazz came into the room. "Oh, crap... I knew I overslept," he groaned angrily. "What happened?" Bastion quickly told him the details. "So... Slacker's in bad shape?" the raven-haired Slifer asked, stunned.

"Basically, we won't really know how bad until we see him, though," Violet answered with a sigh.

"Bro?" Chazz asked, "Didn't Mom tell you anything else? And how's Lexi?"

Atticus shook his head. "She didn't tell me anything else about Jay... She said Lexi was pretty shaken up, too, and still sleeping..."

Chazz turned away for a minute. 'This can't be right,' he thought, eyes glittering.

"Bro...?" the eldest Rhodes sibling asked, reaching to place a hand on Chazz's shoulder.

The raven-haired Rhodes took a deep breath, steadying himself. When he looked back at his brother, Charles Xavier Rhodes had some semblance of control. "It's just... of all people at this school, Jaden doesn't deserve this... He's always trying to help everybody, and... He just doesn't deserve this, you know? It's like you didn't deserve to be snatched, big brother..."

Atticus sighed. "I know, little brother... Things happen to people, though. It doesn't matter what kind of person you are... You didn't deserve such horrible brothers, either."

Chazz flinched slightly at the mention of his ex-brothers. "No... I didn't. There were times I thought I did... But I know I definitely don't..." His face was serious. It had taken a lot of counseling for him to really begin to believe that he didn't deserve that sort of pain. "We've got to do for Jaden what you guys did for me..."

"Chazz... what did we do?" Bastion wondered.

"You guys stuck with me even when I wasn't much of a friend. See... it wasn't easy for me to let people in when I was... messed up, and I'd forget there were people who actually cared if something happened to me. You guys all made sure I didn't forget. Syrus... even you did that, and I was nasty to you..."

"I did?" Syrus asked, blinking.

Chazz nodded, a little smile breaking his features. "Yeah, you did. You've got this way of telling people they matter. You stand by your friends, and... you're really forgiving, you know?"

Syrus considered this. He had no idea he'd actually been such a big help to Chazz. "I...guess I am. I mean, you weren't all bad..."

"And..." If there was any doubt that Chazz had changed a lot due to the therapy, that would be gone after what he said and did next. "And you might not be the biggest guy on campus, but you're one of the bravest, Truesdale..." And the youngest Rhodes sibling knelt slightly, opening his arms for a hug.

For a moment, Syrus was shocked. Even if Chazz had changed, it was still amazing to hear him call Syrus brave. Especially "one of the bravest." When his shock wore off, he smiled and gladly hugged the taller boy. Two years ago, this would have been impossible. A year ago, Chazz would have snapped off some comment and pulled out of the hug. But this time, it was he who actually asked for it.

Chazz had seen the shock and when they let go slightly, he explained, "It's true. You are one of the bravest guys at this school. You haven't been afraid to fight for the right things. You stood up to Tyson... And you never left Annie's side when she needed you and you stood up to Yubel. If that isn't bravery, Syrus, I don't know what is..."

"Th-Thanks, Chazz..." Syrus didn't really know what to say. He'd always thought that Chazz would be the last person he'd hear such a compliment from.

The raven-haired young man stood up as they pulled apart. "No problem. And now, I know you'll help Slacker get better. We're all gonna..."

"Hey, guys!" Mindy shouted, coming through the door, along with Jasmine. They were each dressed in workout clothes, and wearing sweatbands on their foreheads. "Anything?" the raven-haired girl asked her boyfriend.

Chazz filled her in as Jasmine went to stand by Atticus. "So not until noon?" Jasmine asked for confirmation.

Atticus nodded. "Yup. That's what Mom said..."

"Hmm," Annie said, pulling on her backpack and getting up on her crutches, "I wonder how long the teachers will take with the meeting..."

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

As it happened, the meeting took nearly three hours to complete. When the faculty and staff came out of the meeting room, they all looked serious. Fonda Fontaine sighed in worry. "Don... this is going to be very rough," she said to her longtime friend.

Don nodded solemnly. "Yes, it will be. But he'll get through it..."

She met his eyes, pain evident in hers. "I just hate seeing them all in pain. And this is something that can't be fixed easily. Physical wounds can be fixed and heal quickly, but emotional wounds are another story... And they're more painful... I just wish there was more I could do." And a tear came unbidden, and rolled down her cheek.

And Don couldn't help but feel a painful pang in his chest at the sight. Seeing his close friend and secret crush saddened to tears almost made him cry. However, he instead put an arm around Fonda's shoulders comfortingly. "You've already helped them so much, Fonda... And I know that you'll continue to do all that you can for them."

Fonda hugged Don back, needing that sort of comfort. Her feelings for the Ra headmaster had not abated and in fact, had grown stronger. But she would not force him into something, especially if he didn't feel the same way. "Thanks, Don," she murmured in his ear. "You've helped me so much..."

Don blushed lightly at the hug, but quickly forced it down as he held the younger teacher. "You're welcome, Fonda... You've helped me more than you know."

"I'm glad to," she answered softly, unable to force down her own blush. "Why don't we go get a coffee or something since it's too late to start the current class period?"

He smiled. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."

Meanwhile, Yugi and Kisara emerged from the room as well. "Well, we've made our recommendations," he said.

"Yeah," she agreed. "He's facing it, but he is clearly a very frightened young man. I guess we may be here for a bit."

"Yeah... it's just a couple of weeks to Thanksgiving and we could bring our families out here for the big day..."

Kisara grinned at her friend. "Yugi, that's brilliant. I don't think we've had Thanksgiving out here since the school was under construction!"

"Hmm... Teá's wanted to bring the kids out here... But can Duel Academy handle all the kids?" he wondered.

"I hope so," she grinned sheepishly. And the grin turned to a worried frown. "Jaden's a wreck... Yugi, I think he's worse off than you were..." He nodded silently, face solemn.

The clock crept to 11:30 in the morning, and back in the Obelisk dorms, Jaden Yuki slept soundly beside his beloved. His brow, usually calm in sleep, was furrowed with worry. But at least he slept. Alexis, though, was just waking up. Her eyelids twitched slightly, mumbled nonsense escaping her lips as she was pulled out of her slumber. Slowly, she opened her eyes, squinting at the sunlight streaming in through the window. Groaning lightly, Alexis rubbed at her eyes to rid them of sleep. "Oh...what time is it...?" she muttered.

Jayda Yuki, already up and dressed, sat on a chair at Alexis's side of the bed. "Hey, honey. It's 11:30. You slept a long time..."

Alexis glanced over at the older woman in surprise. "11:30?? I...guess I was tired..." She was about to sit up, but changed her mind when she remembered that she was holding Jaden. Her gaze drifted to his sleeping form, and she frowned slightly upon sight of his worried expression.

Jaden turned slightly, allowing his fiancée to release him. "It's okay, you can sit up," Jayda coaxed. "Hisoka went out for a little bit and Karen's at the faculty/staff meeting at the main building. How are you feeling, Alexis?"

Alexis sighed, finally pushing herself up into a sitting position on the bed. "Fine," she answered, brushing a hand through Jaden's mussed-up hair.

Jayda looked at the younger woman in concern. "I thought you might say that. I did too, when this first happened. I felt okay, too..."

Alexis looked over at her. "What do you mean?"

"It took a toll on me, sweetie. But after a couple of days, I was worn out. Hisoka really had to get me to talk," Jayda explained.

Alexis frowned. "But...I don't feel worn out..."

"You might not now... but you need to know it's okay to talk. And it's okay to reach out..." Jayda had swallowed a lot of her own worries when Jaden had had his breakdown at seven years old. And she didn't want her son's future wife doing the same thing.

"Jaden's told me that a few times," Alexis muttered, frown deepening.

"He didn't follow his own advice, did he?" Jayda asked knowingly.

"No...it doesn't look like he did..."

The woman who looked like a female Jaden moved to brush her son's bangs a bit. "He's always managed to cover..."

"Why? I don't understand why he wouldn't tell us...he's always seemed so open about everything..."

"Alexis... I think there's been a fear about this part of his life," Jayda began. "Him telling you about Yubel was a big step. And telling you about what she did and the results was a big step. Being treated the way he was, though... I think there was always a fear that if the people he cared about found out everything, he might lose them. He loves you so much, and he didn't want to lose you..."

Alexis pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "But I love him even more...I don't want to lose him, either... I wish he could see that and just tell me about this sort of stuff..." The fact that Jaden was afraid of telling her anything sent a painful jab at her heart. Weren't they supposed to be able to trust each other with anything?

Jayda caught what was going on in her future daughter-in-law's head. "Sweetie, he wouldn't tell me things sometimes, and I'm his mother... When the kids were so mean to him, he didn't tell me for weeks. I could tell something was wrong, but he wouldn't let me help him..." The tears came to her eyes as she remembered the little boy he'd been and how one evening, she'd come home from work to find him facedown on his bed, crying after having been un-invited from a classmate's birthday and told he was a cursed freak.

"Why won't he let anyone help him? Not just with stuff like this... With everything," Alexis wondered, realization hitting her.

Jayda sighed. "In all of this, I've asked myself the same question. I wish I knew the answer." She moved to hug the young woman, knowing that she needed it. Alexis was indeed grateful for the hug. Both women were worried sick and longing to help the same boy; one his mother, and the other the love of his life.

At noon, Scout Rhodes came to the group of teens who waited. "Hey guys... we need to give Alexis and Jaden a few extra minutes. He just woke up and needs to clean off, okay?" Catching the worry on their faces, she added, "I know you're all worried. Jaden did have a very rough night, and he's been fairly quiet this morning. We think he's embarrassed and scared about what's to come... He knows you're his friends, but we think he's scared you'll abandon him now..."

"Then we'll just have to remind him that we're never going to do that," Syrus said.

Scout smiled. "I know you won't... especially you, Syrus."

Syrus smiled a little. "Well...he never abandoned me...or anyone..."

"That's right... and I've never known you to abandon anybody," the mother/doctor grinned. "You probably don't hear it enough, Sy. But you are a very true friend..."

"That's what I learned about him, Scout!" Tyson said eagerly, remembering a particular duel last school year.

The puffy haired bluenette was blushing by this point. He was really surprised by all of the praise he'd been getting lately. "I…I guess I am..."

"It's true, honey," Annie agreed. "You are that way." She knew Sy had always doubted himself, but if there was one thing Annie had learned, it was that her fiancé had a remarkable capacity to love, forgive and be loyal to a fault.

Perhaps it was a good thing for Sy that the group was about to learn how quickly news travels through a school campus. For now, a pre-teen girl in a red uniform came running through the crowd in Obelisk, her amber eyes wide and raven hair flowing behind her. "Hey, guys!" the small girl called.

"Oh, hey, Blair," Bastion greeted 11-year-old Blair Flannigan. 2 years previously, just three months before her ninth birthday, Blair had sneaked to Duel Academy in order to get close to the object of her affections, one Zane Brian Truesdale. But then she'd met Jaden and gotten a crush on him.

Determined to return and clearly already a bright child, Blair had sped up in her studies and graduated elementary school and skipped middle school. She was eligible to come to Duel Academy and had passed the entrance exams with high scores. She had also made a request that she start as a Slifer rather than be an Obelisk. The school as well as the co-founders had, due to the extraordinary circumstances, granted her request and so here she stood, clad in a Slifer uniform of her own design.

Violet grinned. "Oh, long time no see! Where ya been, Blair?"

"I've been doing a lot of studying... But is it true what they're saying? That Jaden's sick?" Blair asked, clearly panicked.

"Well, sick might not be the right word," Syrus answered thoughtfully, frowning.

"What's wrong with him?" Blair asked again.

By this time, the transfer boys had joined the group and Axel explained. "...So he's just having a very rough time," the young man concluded.

"And that's because of all that bad stuff that's happened to him?"

"That's right," Axel confirmed kindly.

"Can... can I help?" she asked, looking around at the gang. "I promise I won't get all fan girl again," she grinned sheepishly, alluding to her actions two years earlier.

Most of the teens sweat-dropped at that statement. Those who had been at the school in the spring semester of 2017 before the School Duel knew all too well how 8-year-old Blair had acted. "I'm sure there's a way you can help, Blair. We can ask Karen," Atticus finally said, smiling kindly, as his sister had informed him of all he'd missed.

"Thanks, Atticus," Blair said gratefully. She sat with the group, chatting about her first few weeks in school and hearing about what had happened to all of them. "I still have a hard time believing that you guys had such a crazy summer..."

"If you need more proof, there's always the scars!" Violet replied simply, starting to unbutton her uniform top without thinking.

"Uh... Violet! Guys in the room!" Annie yelped, quickly.

Violet blinked a few times. Some of the guys were either blushing, purposefully looking away, or looking a little uncomfortable. She blushed and put on a sheepish grin. "Er...maybe some other time, then. Heh heh..."

Bastion was a nice red color in fact. "In the girls' locker room, perhaps, darling," he grinned sheepishly.

"Oh! Guess what! I met a guy here that I can be friends with!" Blair said when a long moment of silence reigned, knowing she should probably break the tension.

"Blair, that's awesome!" Annie congratulated the younger girl. "So who is he?"

"He's a Ra Yellow and his name is Marcel and he's thirteen..." And then Blair looked down, blushing a little.

Some of the girls knew what the reaction meant. Rosa smiled. "Are you good friends with him?"

"Uh... yeah," Blair said. "We're really having fun together." She wasn't totally sure about Marcel yet, but she knew she liked him.

"Hey, wait... You said his name was Marcel? Isn't that the student who came here from France?" Violet asked curiously. Blair nodded.

"Oh, he's the boy that kinda looks like Gaara," Annie said. "Oh, crap, I did it again!" she groaned.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "It's okay, Annie..."

"Well, uh... what I meant was," Annie blushed, obviously flustered.

Blair grinned. "It's okay. He knows he bears a resemblance. And he's okay with it. Anyway, yeah, he's from France and he won't tell me his last name... And I looked him up on the directory and his last name was blocked out!"

Atticus's eyes went wide. "You're kidding! I didn't even know that was allowed..."

"Unless," Bastion surmised, his brow furrowed in thought, "someone needed his records secret..."

"Hmm," Annie murmured. "An actual conspiracy?"

Violet jumped up with a grin. "A conspiracy?! Really?? And here at the school, too! How cool is that!!" she squealed excitedly.

"At least this isn't the Scooby Doo Murder Files," Axel muttered drily. "Darn you, Family Guy..."

"That's the last thing we need," Syrus said, grinning sheepishly.

"So... gee whiz, gang, let's get to the bottom of this mystery!" Adrian grinned, doing a bad Freddie imitation.

Everyone cracked up, and Tyson said, wiping the smile off his face, "But first, we need to fix the Sarge... if we can."

Just then, Atticus's PDA rang. He blinked in surprise and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey, honey," Scout Rhodes said. "I just wanted to let you know the gang can see Jaden now. He's awake and he really could use everyone around him..."

"Oh, hi, Mom. We can? Okay, I'll tell the guys... Is there anything else you wanted to tell me?"

Scout took a deep breath. "He's still a little dazed from the nightmare, so he may not be acting like himself..."

"All right... We'll be up in a minute, Mom. Oh, how's Lexi doing?"

"She's pretty shaken up, sweetheart. Get your brother ready for this. It's going to be hard on him. Daddy and I know it's hard on you too, Atty... So just prepare Chazz for this while you're all heading here okay?"

"Okay, Mom. Bye..." The mother and son hung up and Atticus sighed. "Okay, guys, we can go up and see Jay now. Mom says he really needs us, but that he may not be acting like his usual self because of the nightmare."

The gang looked at each other, varying degrees of worry and concern on their faces. "Slacker," Chazz groaned softly. Annie gripped Sy's hand as well.

Syrus squeezed back, every inch of his expression conveying worry for his surrogate brother. As the gang stood and started off for the dorm room, Atticus silently pulled his brother back a little. "Chazz..."

The younger boy looked up at his brother. "Yeah, bro?" he asked softly, eyes expressing his empathy for Jaden.

"Listen..." The older boy placed a strong hand on his younger brother's shoulder, obviously a bit shaken by this. "Mom said that Lexi...she's pretty shaken up by all this. So...it might be a little...weird, okay? Just remember that I'm here for you if it gets too hard...all right?"

Chazz met his brother's big brown eyes. "Thanks, bro... and I'm here for you, too," he answered, smiling a little.

Atticus blinked, but then returned the smile. "Thanks, little bro..."

The group made its way to Jaden and Alexis's room and Jesse knocked on the door. Alexis, surprisingly, answered the door. She looked a little worse for the wear, obviously the most distressed out of the group. "Oh. Hey, guys...come on in," she said, a bit wearily.

"Sis," Chazz murmured, moving to her, "if you want to talk... I'm here."

"Me too, sis," Atticus added, also stepping forward.

Alexis looked from one brother to the other, and then managed a smile. "Thanks...I know you two are..."

And so the gang headed into the sitting area. Jaden was sitting on an oversized chair, looking much the worse for wear than when his friends had last seen him. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy from crying, his skin was pale and his hair was disheveled. "H-hey, guys," he said softly, almost as if he was afraid they would vanish or turn into who-knows-what.

"Hey, Jay... How you feelin', buddy?" Jesse asked, stepping forward. Perhaps that wasn't the best of ideas.

Jaden's eyes widened when he saw Jesse and Violet. In his mind's eye, the room transformed into the hellish landscape he had seen in his nightmare. Jesse's eyes were an orange-gold and Violet's brilliant green eyes were blood-red. "No... Jesse... Yubel, let him go!" the brown-haired boy shrieked. "Whatever you are, let Violet go! Guys... I didn't kill you! You've gotta believe me!"

Jesse and Violet both backed off, obviously shocked and very, very confused. "Jay...what," Violet muttered as Alexis quickly went over to Jaden.

"Jay! Jaden, calm down. This isn't your nightmare...you're not dreaming... Shhh...it's all right," she tried, wrapping her arms around him. "We're all alive..."

Scout moved forward to Jesse and Violet as Jaden's mom and dad moved into the hug. "He's been acting frightened since he woke up and apparently in his nightmare, Violet, Jesse, something happened to both of you."

Both teens looked at each other, then back at the doctor. "Something...happened to us?" Jesse asked, frowning.

"Scout...what should we do? He looks so scared," Violet muttered, glancing over at Jaden.

Jaden was hugging Alexis like she was a life preserver and shaking. "Jay-Jay," Jayda tried soothing her son, "whatever happened, it isn't real... Jesse and Violet are okay..."

The frightened young man looked up at the face he'd seen from his crib. "Really, Mom?"

"Really, angel," she answered tenderly.

"Just remember, son, it was only a dream. What's here now is real. Focus on it, Jaden," Hisoka added reassuringly.

Jaden blinked several times, trying to banish the specters from him. 'They're not dead,' he told himself looking at his friends and seeing them as they actually were. 'They're here...' He could feel the warmth of Alexis's arms around him, her soft warm skin not the ash-white of a corpse, but the peaches-and-cream tone of the living. He saw Atticus, Chazz, all of them, whole and unharmed, and met Jesse's sea green eyes. "J-Jesse? You're really okay?" he asked.

Jesse nodded, daring to step forward again and holding his arms out. "Yeah... See, Jay? I'm just fine. Nothin' wrong at all."

Jaden stretched out his hand slowly, needing to touch Jesse's hand to be sure. "Violet? You're not Mary?" he asked her as well.

Violet blinked and scratched her head in obvious confusion. "Mary? Never heard of her. So nope. It's just me, Jay! I'm pretty sure I'm Violet," she answered with a grin.

Jaden nodded. "You guys are all okay..." That wasn't a question. Nevertheless, everyone moved forward. "Jaden, we're here, and we're not hurt," Bastion said firmly but kindly. "And no one's turning evil..." But Jaden's hand remained outstretched. No one seemed to understand exactly what Jaden was waiting for, but then it seemed to click in Jesse's head. He smiled a little and grabbed Jaden's hand in a strong, living grip. Jaden seemed to be waiting for the pair of green eyes to suddenly turn orange, but when they didn't turn, he sagged in relief. "You're really okay," he said, letting go of the hand.

"Yeah, Jay...we all are. So you can relax, okay?" Jesse replied, hoping Jaden would respond positively.

Jaden nodded silently, but everyone in the room could tell he was still waiting for something bad to happen. He had the air of a rabbit being chased by a particularly hungry wolf. And though the wolf had given up the chase, this rabbit was waiting for another attack. "Jaden... we're okay," Annie tried. "See? I'm okay... Sy's okay," she added, pushing her fiancé forward as Jesse backed away to give Sy room to go to his best friend.

Syrus went to his best friend's side, just a bit taller than him for once since Jaden was sitting down. "Jaden, nothing bad's going to happen. Really. We're all fine...and it's going to stay that way. All right?" he tried, placing a hand on Jaden's.

Jaden blinked and then released from Alexis to hug Sy tightly. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry," he whispered over and over. He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd hurt Sy and needed to apologize for it.

Syrus returned the hug, frowning. "Jay...stop saying sorry. You didn't do anything... Please?"

The Slifer quieted, but kept hugging. "Jaden... what do you think you did?" Jayda tried.

"I hurt him, Mom... and I didn't mean to," Jaden explained softly. "Sy... I didn't mean to..."

"But Jaden...I'm fine. See? You didn't hurt me...I know you never would," Syrus reasoned.

Jaden went quiet for a moment and then gently released his friend. "Excuse me," he said softly, got up and padded to the bathroom without a word.

"Kids, he's really not himself," Jayda explained.

"Jayda, we understand," Tyson said clearly. "He ain't himself... and Sam Hill... he's been through lots of stuff and had the pressure of savin' the whole world..."

As the gang talked, Jaden shut the bathroom door and answered the call of nature. It didn't take long, and he went to wash his hands. He looked at the mirror and saw his reflection, a frightened young man in Flame Wingman pajamas. But then, his reflection altered to reveal his face, but with frightening, soulless golden eyes. "Jaden... you can't escape me," the dark version of himself said.

"No," Jaden moaned. "I'm not like you... Leave me alone..."

"I'm part of you... I am the Supreme King, and eventually... I will become you," the dark presence smirked.

"NOOOOOO!!!!" Jaden screamed, clawing at the mirror, which crashed to the tile floor.

Everyone in the room jumped in shock at the sudden crash, all heads turning to look in the direction of the bathroom. "Jaden!!" Alexis called, quickly running over to the bathroom door and opening it.

Jaden was visibly shaking, standing away from the glass shards. "Make him stop, Alexis... Tell him to leave me alone..."

The blonde just barely stopped herself from stepping on the broken glass, having been entirely focused on Jaden. She easily hopped over the danger zone and pulled him into a tight hug. "Oh, Jaden...I wish I could...but I don't know who keeps hurting you..."

"He called himself... the Supreme King... and he said... he'd take me over," Jaden whimpered.

Alexis frowned. "Take you over...?"

"Y-yeah... I don't want him to," Jaden moaned, catching a look at one of the bigger glass shards. "There's one way to stop him... he can't do it... if I'm gone... then... he can't hurt you..." He struggled slightly in her grip, as if to get one of those shards. "I can... end this..."

Alexis turned her head to see what he was looking at, and instantly pulled him closer. "Jaden, no! Don't even think about doing that...you can't... Doing that would...it would be worse than if you hurt me! It would hurt so much more..."

"He'll hurt you," Jaden whispered, terrified. But he let her get him out of the bathroom.

"Jay-Jay... sweetheart," Jayda exclaimed. "What on Earth?"

"Mom... don't let him take me over," he pleaded as Alexis got him back to the overstuffed chair he'd sat in. The gang looked at each other, and Annie, already holding Sy's hand, squeezed it tightly.

"Who, sweetie?"

"The Supreme King... he'll hurt everybody. But Alexis doesn't want me to do what'll stop him..." Jayda glanced at Alexis in alarm, having a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Alexis was frowning deeply, and wouldn't look up to meet the mother's eyes. Her bangs hid most of her face this way, but it was obvious that she was truly upset. And she wouldn't let go of Jaden, either. "I'm going to call Kisara... Jaden, honey... Let's get you back to bed... Sorry kids," Jayda apologized.

"It's okay, Jayda. Do what you need to," Violet replied knowingly.

And so Jaden was led back to bed, and Jayda called Kisara. "Oh, good heavens," the white-blonde woman muttered when she got into the bedroom, Hisoka Yuki hot on her heels along with Yugi. "Jaden, I'm going to give you a shot, okay?" Jaden nodded wordlessly, and took the shot she gave without flinching. Within seconds, he was sound asleep. Out in the sitting area, the teens looked in worry at each other, not sure what to do next.

_So Jaden is really scarred and scared by all that he has experienced and the dreams that tormented him. The gang is visibly shaken, as any friends would be when one of their number is so badly hurt. Will they be able to figure out a way to help him? Find out next time in "A Stronger Bond." So until next time, please read and review! Thank you!_


	16. A Stronger Bond

Chapter XVI: A Stronger Bond

_Welcome back, everyone, to another chapter of "Darkness Falls." Well, thank you, everyone for your reviews, as usual and for reading. We appreciate and love you all! So onto the next chapter without further ado!_

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Darkness Falls, the gang awaited news of Jaden after a long night of worry. They got the sad news that Jaden had suffered his horrific nightmare. When the group came to him, Jaden had a hallucination of Violet and Jesse in their evil incarnations and then he saw his dark side through a mirror. The usually happy Slifer didn't take seeing his dark side well, and had to be sedated. So what will happen next? Read on…_

_**Disclaimer: We've been over this… Just see the past…few hundred chapters of this series as to what we own and don't own. We also own our interpretations. And again, please remember that this universe is not bound by canon. Thanks.**_

_Authors' Note: We would like to gratefully acknowledge the inspiration for the title to this tale. "Darkness Falls" was inspired by a line in the late Michael Jackson's amazing song, "Thriller." So we thank Mr. Jackson and wish that he has found his peace. Thank you._

_Warning: Chazz is going to seem a bit different than his canon counterpart as he has seemed different in this series. He now has a big brother who means the world to him, and if Atticus is hurting, Chazz will worry. Yubel will also be on edge about the coming threat. There are mentions of Season 0, never aired in the US and nods to the Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged series made by LittleKuriboh. And finally, there is a mild make-out scene. Thank you._

As Jaden slept in his bed, knocked out after what appeared to be a hallucination, Alexis sat by his side, holding his hand. She still hadn't said a word, and the frown hadn't left her face for even a second. Yugi moved to her, knowing that look from 12 years ago when he'd awakened in the hospital, Teá sitting at his side. "Alexis... he'll be all right... Don't doubt his love," he said gently.

"I-I'm not," Alexis answered quietly, her voice shaking along with her shoulders as she spoke. "I just...it can't... All the times we joked about it...him turning this way... I never thought...it isn't him," she continued, tears finally forming and dropping to land on her lap.

Yugi reacted as any father would. He gently put his arm around the young lady and let her cry. "Shh... it's going to be all right... shh..." And Alexis did cry, more than she had in a long time. It was like all the tears she'd held back so many times were spilling out with the ones she was shedding for Jaden. She was comforted to have a shoulder to cry on, though. "I know," Yugi whispered. "Let it hurt... it's all right to let it hurt..." He knew full well she was aching for Jaden, pained for all that had happened. "You've gone through so much, too..."

"I-I just wish that I could help him," she muttered between breaths.

"You are... You've been a part of why he stayed as strong as he did," Yugi explained softly as Jayda and Kisara watched the teen boy's vitals. "He's done as I did... I wanted to protect everyone from me... And it was a bad idea..."

"W-When you...did what Jaden was thinking of doing?" Alexis asked, beginning to calm down a little.

"The silence was what did it to me," Yugi answered. "I was quiet and acted like I was all right when Atem left. But inside I was crying... And then, part of me just couldn't take the pain anymore..."

"Jaden's doing that...isn't he?"

Yugi was quiet for a moment, wanting to be certain of the situation before he answered. "What did he say when he was thinking of trying?"

Alexis thought back to that moment. "He said...that he didn't want whoever 'Supreme King' is to take him over... And that there was one way to stop it... H-He said...if he's gone...then he can't hurt me..."

Yugi's eyes widened in shock. "That sounds like... Bakura..." A memory came to him on a night at Duelist Kingdom when a dark spirit had taken control of a dear friend…

"Yugi, I've taken control of this creature. Attack me and you can win this duel!" Bakura Ryou shouted from across the field.

"But Bakura, if I do that, I'll be destroying you!" Yugi called back, clad in the costume of the Dark Magician, eyes wide with fear and pain.

"I don't care! It's better than being enslaved by an evil spirit! DO IT!" Bakura shouted back while in the guise of the Lady of Faith. Yugi, Bakura, Tristan, Joey and Tea had been trapped in a shadow game of Yami Bakura's making and while the dark being had dueled the Pharaoh, the good Bakura had pleaded with Yugi to destroy him to protect the world. But Yugi had found what he understood to be a way out at the time.

Now in the present, Yugi stated, "Alexis, Bakura was actually enslaved by a dark presence, and he asked me to kill him... You may have learned about that duel in class..."

Alexis frowned, then nodded. "Yeah...I remember. That...does sound a lot like what Jaden said..."

"But... to sacrifice Bakura's life would've been wrong," Yugi said softly. "And Jaden needs to know that as well..."

"I know...but he doesn't seem to be listening to anything we try to tell him..."

Yugi released the hug gently and held Alexis's gaze. "We'll all tell him until he believes it again. That presence must be very, very strong that it's scared him so much. Bakura almost never remembered his possessions..."

"His possessions?"

"The dark presence possessed him a lot, and he didn't remember when those possessions happened. It was different than what happened with me," Yugi clarified.

"Do you think that maybe...who Jaden keeps talking about is like Bakura's evil spirit?" Alexis asked.

Yugi's face tightened. "I hope not... would anyone know of a past self that was like him?"

"Ah...oh! Wait, Yubel might... She talked to me about our past once before," Alexis realized.

Yugi nodded. "Can you tell me?"

"Sure...but she didn't mention anything about someone named 'Supreme King'..." And so, Alexis recalled as best as she could from memory, and retold what Yubel had told her.

Yugi nodded as she finished. "Hmmm..." Jayda had stepped out of the room to sit with Hisoka by this point and so the King of Games called, "Yubel?" Yugi, too, had the gift to see duel spirits and made use of it.

It was a long moment before Yubel appeared, and it was obvious that she was as bothered by Jaden in pain as everyone else. "You...called?" she asked, surprised to see Yugi.

"Hello, Yubel... I'm sorry to call you like this, but we must know how to help Jaden," Yugi began kindly. "Do you know of someone called the Supreme King?" he asked.

Yubel visibly tensed and frowned. "...Yes."

Alexis's eyes widened considerably. "You do?!" The duel spirit nodded, looking away.

Kisara, keeping track of Jaden's pulse, looked up. "Yubel? Who is he?" she asked gently. "No one's angry at you now. And if you know something, it will help us a lot so we can fight this... Supreme King, okay?"

Yubel sighed, crossing her arms over her chest as her gaze turned to the ground. "First of all...Supreme King is only a title. His real name is...Haou."

"Haou?" Kisara asked for confirmation. "Tell us as much as you can, please?"

"He's... Really, all he is… is Jaden's darker half. Everyone has one...at least, people do. So do duel spirits sometimes... They usually never even make themselves noticed, but... They can if something bad enough happens, or too many bad events happen... That's what they… well, I suppose you could say they feed off of negative feelings and take advantage of them..."

"How far back does this go with Jaden?" Kisara wondered.

Yubel seemed to be in deep thought for a long moment. "Unfortunately...the negative feelings he'd had in his past life...may have carried on to this one..."

Yugi and Kisara exchanged glances. "All that time," Yugi thought out loud. "If his dark side was alone and allowed to grow, he would be worse than...Atem was when he first came to me..." Kisara nodded, as the subject of when Yugi had first gotten his Millennium Puzzle was well-known to her.

"But I thought he was a good spirit," Alexis stated, looking confused.

"He was confused at first... He had definite ideas about what was justice, but it took a while before he realized that you just couldn't deliver a smack-down to whoever bullied me and my friends," Yugi grinned sheepishly.

"Oh," was all Alexis could think to say.

"But I should tell you that Haou can't be a true physical threat unless Jaden gives into him," Yubel said suddenly. "That is the only way a dark half can gain control... All he's been doing now is communicating with Jaden in whatever ways he can. As well as...using a future possibility to weaken his resolve..." As she said this, she frowned again and turned her gaze to the carpet.

"And Jaden's at a weak point right now," Kisara murmured, brushing the bangs from the sleeping boy's face. "Well then... Yugi, let's prepare for the long haul..."

"Agreed," he answered. "Mai, Joey and Teá can help Grandpa out while I'm gone. Thank you, Yubel... We'll make sure that this Haou doesn't get control..."

Yubel nodded, and was about to fade out when she made a last second decision. She knew it might be dangerous to tell them this, but she felt like she owed Jaden after inadvertently helping Haou. "Um...there's another thing," she began, a little hesitantly.

"What is it, Yubel?" Kisara asked, pale eyebrow raising in question.

"What I mentioned about darker halves and everyone having one... Jaden may not be the only one to be worrying over in the near future. I mean," Yubel hesitated, practically feeling the darkness in the room breathing down her neck, waiting to see what she would do.

Yugi put his arm around Alexis again, knowing that as strong as she was, the young woman was terrified of what would come. "Yubel...who else? We must know," Kisara said firmly but kindly.

Yubel sighed, taking the plunge. "Everyone."

The two 30-somethings exchanged glances. "Then we'll face it," Yugi declared, softly of course. "Alexis... we'll face it with you..." Alexis nodded; part of her had practically sensed this coming, truth be told. They all had, even though they'd forced themselves to brush the feeling off as paranoia.

"One more thing," Yubel said, getting their attention again. "It's already started. I'm not sure how many of Jaden's friends, but...at least one or two are already falling with him..." She tensed immediately after that, and quickly faded out, unable to risk staying amongst the darkness in the room any longer.

Yugi sensed it. "Kisara..."

"I sensed it too," she murmured as her own duel spirit appeared. "Bianca..." A Blue Eyes White Dragon in smaller form than usual flashed into existence next to her, casting an eerie white light around the room to those sensitive to it. "Do you sense it as well?" the mistress of the dragon asked. The dragon nodded and sent images of light versus shadow to Kisara. "So we do have a new enemy... And depending on Jaden... this fight may be far more difficult. So we have to get him back to full strength and his friends as well, if we're to prevent far worse than we've ever faced."

Yugi's expression tightened. "We can do this. For heaven's sake... our group faced something like the Devil!"

"Yeah, Zorc and pals," Kisara said wryly. "Good thing no one ever came up with a show for them..."

Alexis was extremely confused as she looked from Yugi to Kisara. "Uh...wait, do you know what enemy we're going to be facing?"

"No, but these things go in cycles," Yugi sighed. "The rule seems to be that the villain gets tougher. I faced Pegasus and a bunch of his goons... Marik and his goons... Seto's virtual stepfather, the Big Five... Dartz... and then Bakura who was controlled by Zorc...And then it was over..."

"Famous last words," Kisara said, rolling her eyes in frustration.

Alexis tensed. "Then...are you saying this is going to be the toughest enemy we've ever faced?"

"Probably," the duelist and doctor groaned together.

"But for Jaden's sake, and all of yours, it had better be later rather than sooner," Kisara concluded as Jaden began softly snoring.

Alexis sighed, frowning. "But...Yubel said it was the near future... And that some of our friends were already getting like Jaden... But who??" she muttered, brows furrowed in thought. Of course, it was crucial to figure this out as soon as possible.

"Whoever else is having nightmares, I'd guess," Kisara said, having been filled in by Miss Fontaine.

"Well...as far as I know, that's only two people besides Jaden," Alexis replied, frown deepening a bit.

"Okay... We'll sort this out, honey," Kisara said gently. "Do you want to sit here with Jay while we talk to your friends?"

"Yeah...I don't want to leave him again... At least, not after what he said..."

"Okay... he's probably not going to be awake for a while... And we figure out what else is best for him," the doctor stated. "He won't leave school... I think that's one thing that's important... But he's going to need a lot of help..."

"I just hope we get him through this before whatever's going to happen, happens," Alexis said through a sigh, taking Jaden's hand again.

And so the not-so-young adults stepped out of the bedroom to give the young couple some privacy. Yugi took a deep breath as they entered the room. "Guys... we need to have an urgent conversation. It seems you're facing an enemy and you need help to fight this enemy... But that means you tell us what's going on within you."

Everyone in the room exchanged glances, each filled with a mix of emotions; shock, surprise, worry, distress, fear, and tension. A few of the group seemed more nervous about this than the others. "A-Another enemy??" Syrus decided to ask for the others, brows angling downward to match his frown.

Yugi nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid so... But the first enemy we deal with is the enemy within... You may not entirely beat it, but when the new enemy comes, you will be ready to fight it with everything you have. As you all are right now, you may have difficulty fighting this enemy. Now... who besides Jaden has had nightmares?" he asked, looking around the room, meeting their eyes with kindness in his own.

For a few moments, there was a slightly tense silence and no one moved. They all knew who were having the nightmares. Or at least, the girls knew both, while the guys only knew one. Finally, with a nervous glance at her fiancé, Rosa stepped forward. "I have..."

Chazz, too, stood from where he was. "Me, too..."

"Okay... what were the dreams about?" Kisara asked.

Chazz took a deep breath and told her. "I've had bad dreams about what happened in the past... But somehow, it's worse... The beatings go on forever before I wake up. They've gotten longer... And then I hear a voice telling me that we're all dark and evil and it's what we deserve."

"Chazz...bro..." Atticus couldn't stop himself from pulling his little brother into a strong hug, having had no idea. Alexis hadn't told him yet, and the description of his brother's nightmares only made it worse.

"I didn't say anything, because... bro... I didn't want you worrying after you helped me get better this summer," Chazz murmured.

"I'd rather worry and be helping you than not knowing and having you suffer through it alone," Atty replied just as softly, tone slightly pained.

"I'm sorry, big brother," Chazz apologized, burying his face in Atticus's blazer.

Mindy moved behind her boyfriend and hugged him too. "Always talk to us," she murmured.

"We're here for you...you don't have to hold it in anymore," Atty added strongly.

"No, Chazz, you don't have to be so... stoic," Annie asserted, eyes tearing.

"Acting like nothing's wrong doesn't make what is wrong go away," Syrus agreed, keeping hold of his fiancée's hand. Chazz nodded.

"Rosa... you too..." Tyson gripped his fiancée's hand, knowing how hard this would be for her.

Rosa squeezed back, just as nervous as she had been when telling the girls her first nightmare. Of course only Tyson knew of the second, but even he only knew half of it. "My nightmares aren't like Chazz's... They were each different... And it was only for the past two nights..."

"But what was it that happened?" Kisara asked, taking note. "What was unusual about the dreams?" Rosa didn't mind talking about the first; she'd already gotten that off of her chest with the gang. So she reiterated her first nightmare for the doctor and King of Games, about the darkness and the fire and how real it had all felt.

"Rosa...what about the second nightmare?" Yugi asked, the fatherly tone coming into his voice again. Being a dad for nearly 9 years had done that to him. It was easy to be more like a dad than some hero, he reflected.

Rosa paused at this, gaze turning to the ground. Sure, telling Tyson about her past was one thing. But telling everyone? The idea made her even more nervous than the idea of telling them about her first nightmare. "It..."

Annie moved close, taking Rosa's other hand. "Rosa... please... It's all right to share. Nobody here will judge you. Whatever it is, we'll get through it..."

Tyson nodded. "Please, darlin', don't hide from them..."

Rosa took in a breath, let it out as a sigh, and decided that it was only fair. Even Chazz had told them about what had happened to him. "This one was strange...it was as if, there were two different nightmares... But I never woke up in between. The first wasn't bad; it was...normal..." After a moment's hesitation, she told them about the first part of her nightmare. Finally, the last person whose past had been a mystery had unraveled it for the group of friends.

The entire group looked at Rosa in sympathy. "Rosa... they just couldn't stand how special you were," Yugi said with a slight smile. "I got teased all the time when I was a kid. Tea was my only friend when I was the age you were when those kids called you what they did. I got called... well... I won't repeat it, but I played dress-up with her when no one else would. And I also played Sailor Moon..." He couldn't help but blush at the admission.

Kisara didn't blush, but she added, "I was teased for being different, too. When you're six years old and going to college, you're automatically a freak. My mom had to remind me that I'd been given a gift and I needed to see where it took me. What those kids said... It didn't matter..."

Rosa was obviously surprised, but somehow she felt better. Maybe she was a little more at ease, knowing that she was just different and not a freak. Yugi and Kisara were right; it didn't matter what those kids had said. She had a loving fiancé and a group of close friends, as well as her family. "I...I guess you're right... I didn't think about it that way until now..."

"It's hard when it happens to you," Kisara understood. "You feel like you're the only one getting ripped apart and no one cares. But you realize one day... that you're not alone... So... what else happened in the nightmare?"

Rosa sighed again, squeezing Tyson's hand. He hadn't heard about this part. "The nightmare turned dark...I could feel it. It was like my first one... And it was short, like my first one..." The difference between the two halves of her dream was like night and day to Rosa. She told what had happened, smiling a little at the part where Tyson saved her from Jorge.

"As if I didn't hate that... thing before," Bastion growled first when she finished. Tyson, though, took several deep breaths, trying obviously not to go what Jaden referred to as "Incredible Hulk dinosaur," for the way the Texas Ra yelled when going into dinosaur mode.

Rosa knew that was going to happen, and turned to place her free hand on his cheek. Her other hand still held his in a tight grip. "Just stay calm, Tyson. It was a dream; you saved me in it as well as out of it. He's gone," she said soothingly in her native tongue.

"I know, darlin'," he answered back in Spanish. "What he did to you, though... You aren't anyone's property..."

She smiled. "I know that. And you've showed him that both times, Ty-Ty. I am only yours...and you are only mine." He squeezed her hand again, lovingly.

"Rosa... why didn't you ever tell us about yourself?" Mindy asked softly.

The Spanish girl blinked, and ended up surprising everyone with her response. "You never asked." The teens looked at each other blankly, along with one silent tween... and cracked up.

Violet sweat-dropped. "She has a good point. It never came up..."

Jasmine nodded. "We never did... We're sorry, Rosa..."

Rosa smiled. "It's all right. The only part of my past that ever really came up was Jorge. I can understand if you never thought to ask..."

The group fell silent, all feeling guilty. "In all the times we talked about our past... We never asked," Annie said, tears of sadness coming. "How was I so thoughtless?"

Rosa blinked; she really hadn't expected everyone to react like this. Annie was the only one on the verge of tears, but they all held the same expression of pain and guilt. 'I knew I had a bad feeling about telling them for a reason,' she thought, frowning. "Really, it's okay. Every time the past came up, there was always something horrible happening that was weighing on everyone's minds," she tried.

"Rosa... that's no reason for us to be lousy friends," Jasmine countered. "All the terrible stuff that happened... We should've known and had you talk about your whole life."

Rosa rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, not wanting her friends to feel guilty like this. "None of you were lousy amigos, first of all. You were my first amigos, and you still are. You've all helped me, and Tyson, with our problems. You let me join in on the fun," she pointed out, the slight stress of the moment causing her to again blend her native language with her second language.

"But we should know more about you," Annie answered, managing to get control. "Rosa... don't be upset that you shared... It's right that you did..."

"Then please don't be upset that you never asked about my past," Rosa replied.

The team nodded. "Darkness," Yugi muttered finally. "Why does that sound... familiar?" He couldn't be sure why it did, but it did.

When Yugi said the word "Darkness", something momentarily clicked in Atticus's brain. In his mind's eye, several strange images flashed through his head. A teenage boy with blue-gray eyes and green hair. A sparkling white dormitory. A shadowy basement. Along with the images came a dull thudding in his forehead, a slight headache. And a chill ran up his spine as if he'd seen a ghost. Wincing, Atticus lifted a hand to his forehead and seemed to lose his balance for a few seconds.

"Bro?" Chazz asked in alarm.

"I-I'm okay....I think," the eldest Rhodes sibling stammered out, muttering the last part and blinking a few times. The images were gone as quickly as they'd come, and Atticus couldn't seem to bring them back. He rubbed his temple, willing the light headache away.

Yugi had seen the fear. "Atticus... take a deep breath... Try to remember, if you can..."

Atticus breathed in and out, calming himself down. But he still couldn't seem to pull up the memory that had appeared to him in pieces. "I...I can't..." he said, frowning.

Chazz frowned and moved to his brother for a hug. 'I won't lose my big brother," he thought, hugging the older boy as tightly as he could.

Atticus blinked in slight surprise and looked down at his brother, but then smiled a little. "It's okay, little brother," he soothed, placing an arm around him.

"Tell me when you remember," the youngest Rhodes whispered back.

"I will," the older boy promised.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

It was well into Tuesday when Jaden awoke from his drug-induced slumber. "Huh?" he asked out loud in the quiet bedroom. Only his mother, father, Kisara, and Alexis were in the room.

"Welcome back, Jaden," Kisara said gently. "You were out a long time."

"How long?" the boy asked.

"Nearly twenty-four hours, son," Hisoka answered.

"The guys stayed for a little while, but then they had to leave," Alexis added.

"How are you feeling, Jaden?" Kisara asked kindly, checking the Slifer's pulse and other vital signs.

He blinked and smiled a little, his mind clearing of figurative cobwebs. "Better..."

All four people looked relieved at both the smile and his answer. "That's great, Jay... We were all worried about you," Alexis said softly.*

Jaden looked into the eyes of the young woman he loved. "I'm sorry I scared you," he murmured softly. "Babe... forgive me..."

Alexis sighed, smiling a little. "Jaden...of course I forgive you. You didn't mean to scare me...you're more scared than I was. I'm just glad that you're feeling better," she whispered, squeezing his hand gently as she spoke.

Jaden pulled her into his arms and the three older adults quickly exited. "Let's give them some time alone," Jayda suggested.

Hisoka nodded. "Good idea, Sugar Jay."

Back in the room, Alexis wrapped her arms around Jaden, pulling herself against him in a loving embrace. And then he kissed her. 'I won't hurt her again,' he thought, keeping the pressure on her lips strong but not too strong. She melted into the kiss; it felt like it had been ages since their last. Her eyes slipped closed as she pressed back, giving a muffled sigh of comfort. The Slifer moved his hands up and down her back, through her soft blonde hair. He held her in the kiss, deepening it.

One of Alexis's hands sifted through Jaden's matted brown hair, while the other clutched at the back of his pajama shirt. She opened her mouth slightly against the kiss, tongue brushing across his lips. Jaden allowed her in and they were soon letting their tongues dance. Perhaps they'd have gone farther, but then Jaden's head remembered something his libido might not have. He broke the kiss and muttered, "My parents are in the next room..."

Alexis blinked a few times, then blushed. "Oh, uh...good thinking," she whispered back. That would be awkward for them to walk in on.

"Remember when you came home from the hospital?" he asked, blushing deeply.

"You mean...for my appendix, or after the attacks?" she answered with a question.

"After the attacks," he answered, remembering how Atticus had walked in on them.

She blushed. "Yeah, I remember that..." The couple had gotten into a reunion make-out session the day Alexis had been released, and they hadn't known Atticus was home. And they found out when he'd come into the bedroom to check on his sister. He had whooped excitedly and killed the mood. "But I don't think your mom and dad would have the same reaction," Alexis added as an after-thought, sweat-dropping.

"No... They'd just back out of the room... or yell like they did when we were in the tub..."

"Or both..."

"Yeah," he agreed sheepishly. "Well... I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was going on... And I'll tell you from now on..."

She smiled, touching her forehead to his in a gesture of affection. "It's okay... Thanks, Jay..."

Jaden closed his eyes, holding this moment in his head and heart. Alexis Harper Rhodes loved him, and that wouldn't change. "Love you, babe..."

"Love you too, Jay," she whispered happily.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Jaden made his appearance out of the room on Tuesday evening. The gang celebrated his return at Ra Yellow, enjoying a full five-course meal, courtesy of Professor Sartyr. And then that night, Dr. Otani made a suggestion that stunned the group. "Maybe Jaden should move back to Slifer..."

"But Karen, I thought you said it was better that Jaden had Alexis with him," Violet said, confused.

"That I did... I'm thinking they need a change of scenery," the plump Asian woman answered calmly.

"You mean, you want both of them to move into Jaden's old room??" Syrus asked, a little surprised.

Karen nodded, smiling. "Jaden, you mentioned how happy and safe you felt there..."

"Yeah... but it's not fair to Lex," the brown-haired Slifer mused.

Alexis took his hand and offered him a smile. "Jay, I don't mind. Slifer isn't bad; I've stayed there before, remember? Besides I really only care about being with you."

Blair grinned. "It'll be nice to have another girl down there... I've been staying in Chazz's room since it has a separate shower..."

"I was wondering how you were handling the shower problem," Alexis said with a smirk. She, too, had used Chazz's room for the privacy.

"Yeah... I'm glad Chazz was so generous," Blair smiled at her sort-of-roommate.

"Yeah, yeah... I'm a saint... not," Chazz groaned with a return of his old acerbity.

Atticus grinned and ruffled his brother's hair. "Maybe not a saint, bro, but you're still a good guy."

Chazz flushed. "So... what would it take to move Lexi and Jaden down there?"

"A complete revamping of that dorm," Yugi said clearly, frowning as he had been down there himself to see the place. "Had I known what condition that dorm would be kept in, I never would have allowed such division..." The King of Games was not amused.

"You mean the Slifer dorm is finally going to get fixed up?" Syrus asked excitedly.

Yugi nodded. "I had... a conversation with Seto on the subject... And I don't know what Kisara did, but Seto is coming out personally to supervise the refurbishing and renovation of the Slifer Red dorm. What did you tell him?" he asked Kisara.

The white-blonde doctor got a slightly naughty grin on her face. "Oh... I have my ways of getting what I want from Seto... And he ultimately doesn't mind." Scout and Jayda exchanged glances, knowing that Kisara definitely got what she wanted from Seto, and he loved being manipulated. Meanwhile, the group of teens sweat-dropped, having an idea and deciding not to ask. Even if it was pretty weird thinking of Seto Kaiba, the founder of their school, in that sort of light.

Axel looked at Jesse and whispered softly, "Awkward moment... it's like walking in on... your parents..." His cocoa-brown skin gained some ruddy tones.

Jesse, too, was a bit red. "Yeah...ya never really wanna think about your teachers that way... Or in this case, your school's founder and your doctor," he whispered in his Southern accent.

"Yeah," Axel groaned softly.

"So... how long until Lex and I move in?" Jaden asked curiously.

"Hmmm... Saturday," Kisara answered. "Seto's coming out tomorrow and bringing some good contractors to get to work immediately. And he's going to take reasonable suggestions on how to improve the dorm." Predictably, the students in the room began making their suggestions.

"Definitely needs pest management. There are cockroaches...and even rats," Alexis stated, shivering. The Queen of Obelisk Blue might be tough, but she did not like the wild variety of rat or creatures that were highly likely to survive a nuclear holocaust.

"And... better windows," Jaden added.

"It could use better insulation, too," Syrus piped up.

Kisara nodded and started taking notes on a pad of paper. "And better mattresses," Bastion added. "I had kinks in my back that night I slept at Slifer..."

"Oh, and the roof leaks a lot!" Violet stated, remembering freaking after cold water slipped down her shirt one cool and rainy afternoon.

Yugi nodded. "Okay, guys... What else?"

"Better grub, sir," Tyson added. "Professor Sartyr's kept us fed and Miss Dorothy too, but still... I think we could do a little better in the food department as a general rule..."

"That's a great list... Seto is going to pay," Kisara muttered, looking both naughty and mad at her husband at the same time. "He should've known better than this..."

"Kisara?" Jayda asked.

"Seto didn't pay close enough attention to the state of Slifer... he should have," the white blonde doctor muttered, wicked and angry look not leaving her.

"Well, he is pretty busy, isn't he?" Atticus asked.

"Oh, he should've known about this," the mother/young doctor sighed. "He loves this school." The truth was, she was a bit frustrated with her husband and knew such oversight could lead to the school he loved being shut down. 'How could he be so thoughtless?' she mentally mused, eyes flashing.

Yugi realized he'd better cool her off, knowing from experience that Seto's wife was dangerous when riled up. "Kisara... he pays attention to the reports, but some things just slip past him..."

"Well... I'll talk to him tomorrow," she stated, eyes losing their flash. And so the preparations for the renovation began...

_So Seto is in a little trouble with his wife for perhaps not thinking of the state of the Slifer dorms. Kisara will make him pay for that in a manner she sees fit. And Slifer is being redone. In real-world logic, any private school where rats and cockroaches were allowed to run rampant would be heavily penalized by the health department and possibly shut down. Next time, a mystery rears its head and the gang must solve it. Stay tuned, at long last, for "The Ra Mystery!" So until then, please read and review! Thank you!_


	17. The Ra Mystery

Chapter XVII: The Ra Mystery

_Hello again, GX fans and fans of this version of the Yugi-verse! We're glad you've returned again! Sorry for the delay, but again it was Peach's fault. She's been helping a lot with housework and her newest niece. It means she's been away from the computer and hasn't been able to get chapters up as quickly. And if you're waiting for an update on any other tales by Peach, updates are coming. _

_Last time, the group found themselves bonding in a stronger way with each other. They also found that they were facing a new threat. Further, Kisara and Yugi insisted that the Slifer dorm be upgraded and the students gave their suggestions on how that might be done. So what will happen now? Read on and enjoy!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Okay… you can stop calling us. We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. We just play around with the universe. We do own our OCs and interpretations as well as this storyline. _

_Authors' note and warning: First the warning. There is a heavily implied, but not shown, lemon. Now the notes… We have taken certain liberties with one Professor Thelonius Viper. We assume that if he had been freed of Yubel's influence and allowed to really grieve for his son, there was a nice man beneath the anger and ruthlessness. So that belief is reflected in the way he is in this chapter. He's nicer, to put it bluntly. This may be interpreted as OOC. _

_Also, the Professor Stein in this universe is a bit nicer since he's realized that there are things he can do to improve his teaching style. Finally, the background of a certain small Ra Yellow boy is being dealt with in a different way than in the canon. Since the gang seems good at finding stuff out, we can assume that if they hadn't had distractions in the canon Season 3, this little Ra's tale would've been known sooner. Thank you._

Wednesday came and Seto Kaiba arrived on his helicopter. Yugi was waiting at the landing pad. "Hello, Seto," the spiky-haired duelist greeted.

"Yugi, what's up?" Seto asked, noticing Yugi's possibly smug expression.

"Your wife is mad at you," the King of Games grinned. "The good kind of mad... She's waiting for you at Slifer…"

"Uh-oh," Seto groaned. But it was a good sort of groan. He knew that Kisara got mad, and then "tortured" him in the most wonderful of ways. He made his way up to the Slifer dorms where his wife was waiting for him. She had her favorite purple notepad out and was making notes. "Hey, babe," he greeted cautiously. "You mad?" he asked, catching her tense expression.

"You might say that," she answered, looking at the notepad. "I wonder how you could've missed just how bad this dorm had gotten… Seto, do you realize the school could've been closed down?"

He took a look at what she'd written and his eyes widened. "The Domino Department of Health would've had my head… And if the kids went to a boarding school with a dorm allowed to be like this, I'd be contemplating legal action," he admitted. "And keeping that in mind, I may have money, but I'm not going to screw the rules…"

Kisara hid a naughty smile at one particular word in that sentence. "That's good," she stated. "Now what are you going to do?"

"I have money, and this dorm is getting renovated…"

"Excellent…"

The next few days were madness as the Slifer students moved temporarily into Ra and Obelisk. The Slifer dorm was torn apart and put back together at lightning speed. On Friday night, Seto came into Jaden and Alexis's room, tired from running around, making sure that the rooms were up to specifications and yelling at contractors who were slacking off. He'd also had to answer many questions from students about his life, and dodge moony-eyed teenage girls. Kisara was waiting for him, sitting on the bed. On a low table sat two glasses of sparkling white grape juice along with the bottle. "What, no champagne?" he asked, taking in the scene and what she was wearing.

Instead of the usual comfortable cotton sleep shirt she wore, Kisara was clad in a bright red baby-doll nightgown that oddly looked a bit like a vest. The top of the gown was made out of a large-patterned lace and tied at the center of the chest with a silky red bow. The wrap-around skirt of the gown, which only came to the tops of her thighs, was made of a sheer red material and what Seto could see of his wife, he loved.

"I don't feel like that this evening… What I do feel like is us enjoying each other's company," she smiled. "As you can see, I definitely want us to enjoy each other… So let's just enjoy a quiet drink…" He reached into the small suitcase she had brought down to Slifer with her and went to change into his own dark blue silk pajamas, while she moved to the low table.

"You don't usually wear that, except on our anniversary or… when the kids aren't around," he realized, raising an eyebrow when he joined her. "I take it you're not mad at me anymore…"

She, in turn, raised an eyebrow. "You've been a very good boy the past few days… And you will be getting a reward… but on my terms…" They drank their drink, making light conversation, and then they rose as one. She led him to the bed and laid him down on it, getting on top of him. She slowly unbuttoned his silk night shirt, brushing her hands against his now-bare chest, lovingly pinning him to the bed. "You have money… you're used to screwing the rules… but tonight… well, you know what you're doing…"

Seto James Kaiba couldn't help but grin and blush a little at what her position was doing to him. "I certainly hope so… And we have to test this bed to be sure it works." She laughed softly, and they began anew an experience they shared only with each other…

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

On Saturday evening, after the ribbon cutting, Jaden's jaw dropped as he entered his old room. "Whoa... Lex... the bunks are gone... and that is a nice bed..." The bedroom was much the same in design, but in place of the three bunk beds was a full-size bed, covered with a red silk duvet blanket.

Alexis's own eyes were wide, especially when they fell upon the bed. "I'm definitely not used to seeing this room without those bunk beds, but...that bed _is_ really nice..."

"This... wow," he muttered. "Somebody really set this up." The wood floor had been nicely polished and the walls had been nicely painted. In addition, the walls had been properly insulated and the heating system had been upgraded.

"I guess Seto really didn't cut any corners with this renovation," the blonde young woman said, noting the brand new window.

"No... The bathroom's amazing now," Jaden agreed. The Slifer bathroom was now on par with Ra Yellow's bathrooms. "The kitchen and cafeteria's updated and nice too, but it still looks like it did when... Professor Banner was here," he stated wistfully. Alexis took Jaden's hand and squeezed it a little, offering him a smile. She knew he missed their old professor from first year; they all did a little. "I wish... he could've seen this when he was alive... But he probably watched today," the young man said cheerfully.

For a moment, Alexis was confused, but then she realized what Jaden meant and nodded. "He probably did...and he'd be really happy to see the dorm in such great shape now." And then, a loud meow interrupted the conversation, the sound bouncing off of the newly painted and insulated walls. Pharaoh padded into the room from one of his special entrances, rubbing his fluffy body against Jaden's leg affectionately.

"Hey, Pharaoh! Glad you're here, buddy," Jaden grinned, picking up the big cat.

"Meow," Pharaoh said, and then a golden orb flew from his open mouth.

"Oh, hey, Professor Banner," Jaden greeted the orb as Pharaoh pawed at it.

"Hello, Jaden," echoed Banner's voice as the orb pulsed.

Alexis's jaw dropped and she stumbled back. "J-Jay? Did you just...is that...how..?!" she stammered, shocked, her eyes popping.

"Oh... uh... sorry, babe... Professor, you remember Alexis," Jaden introduced as if hearing one's dead instructor was the most natural thing in the world.

The small orb took the shape of Professor Banner, and he held the same mysterious smile he had in life. "Of course I remember Alexis. There's nothing to be afraid of. I know it may seem strange...but I'm not an evil spirit or anything of the sort," he explained quickly.

Alexis calmed down a little, but still looked surprised and confused. "Uh...okay... Hi, Professor Banner..."

"What do you think, Professor? The dorms are all fixed! Pharaoh still has access to what he did before... And he ate a lot of rats and so did Shirley!"

"I think this is wonderful, Jaden! The dorm looks even better than when I first started teaching here. I'm glad that the Slifers are finally getting better treatment, all thanks to you."

Jaden flushed, grinning. "Well... I don't know what I did, but... whatever I did, it worked."

"Jaden, you showed everyone that rank doesn't always label dueling skills. A Slifer can be just as strong as-or even stronger than-an Obelisk," Banner explained for about the umpteenth time.

Alexis nodded. "Er, Professor Banner's right, Jay. You also showed that the ranks could inter-mix... The Slifers could hang out with Ras and Obelisks as well as other Slifers."

"Oh, yeah... the last few days, everyone's gotten along..."

"It's a nice change from my last year here. This is what a school is supposed to be like," Professor Banner said, smiling happily.

"Well, Alexis is living here with me," Jaden grinned. "She's still an Obelisk, but she's living at Slifer!"

"Well, you were a Slifer living at Obelisk, Jaden," Banner reminded.

"Yeah... Well, still, it's kinda fun to have her down here, and a little weird, since Slifer's been for boys..."

"But Blair's a Slifer. I wonder if they're going to make it so that girls can be any rank, too..." Alexis wondered aloud.

"I heard they made an exception for her," Jaden said thoughtfully, "but it'd be only fair to have Ra and Slifer girls too..." Pharaoh meowed, seemingly in agreement. "Maybe someday, we'll have more girls and they'll have to have Slifers and Ras... Maybe Mai can be convinced that we need that," the living human male concluded.

Alexis smiled. "I'm sure we could eventually convince her to give it a try."

"Guess Blair is our... guinea pig," Jaden mused to Professor Banner. "I think her uniform could be better, though..." He was actually paying attention to fashion, thanks to what Alexis wore.

"Well, they've made exceptions to the uniform before. Perhaps you could speak with Mrs. Wheeler about the uniforms as well," the spiritual teacher replied.

"Good idea, sir!" Jaden grinned. "Lex, you could help design it... and Annie could sew it!"

"I'll ask the other girls to help out, too. With everyone's input I bet we could make a good uniform for the girls," she answered eagerly. Jaden and Alexis kept chatting as they got their room set up, and wisely, Professor Banner turned back into the golden orb and retreated into Pharaoh's stomach.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

By the following Monday, Jaden was back to his normal school schedule, albeit with counseling sessions with the school psychologist thrown in. He was well enough that his parents knew they could return home. "You sure you're okay, Jay-Jay?" Jayda asked.

"Yeah, Mom," he answered. "I know I'm not alone... and I'm not a freak..."

Hisoka smiled, placing a strong hand on his only son's shoulder. "That's exactly right, Jaden. Just keep those statements in mind, and don't forget them. And if you ever need us, we're only a phone call away. All right?"

"Got it, Dad." And then as was Jaden's custom, he practically flattened his parents in a tackle-hug. Used to it, the two parents held Jaden in a warm, loving embrace.

Yugi, after a moment, came forward. "Jaden... it will be okay. Remember that... And whatever this dark side of you throws, you're strong enough to ultimately prevail. And remember, if you need to talk, I'm glad to at any hour..."

"Thanks, Yugi," Jaden smiled, hugging his idol.

All too soon, it was time for the entire cadre of adults to leave. "Atticus, keep an eye out for your brother and sister," Scout admonished. "And keep an eye on Jasmine. I think she's a sweet girl, and I think you ought to hang onto her..."

Atticus blushed ever-so-slightly, but hid it with a broad grin. "Not to worry, Mom! I'll make sure Lexi and Chazzy don't get into any trouble--"

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" Alexis muttered.

"-and I think Jasmine is right for me," Atticus finished, ignoring his sister's comment.

"I promise I won't get in any more fights like what I did to Terry," Chazz promised, still nursing a sore knuckle. "I learned my lesson, Mom and Dad, and I have the injury to remind me..."

"Good. Violence is never the answer, Chazz. I'm glad you've learned that lesson now," Jack said, pulling his youngest son into a hug.

Chazz hugged back, glad he'd lowered his defenses that night 5 months previously and let Jack Rhodes see who he really was. "Love you, Dad..."

"Love you too, son." Jack pulled out of the hug and then hugged his other two children. "Both of you be careful. Especially you, Atticus. I don't want to get any phone calls from Chancellor Shepherd..." he said in a warning tone.

The dark-haired young man sweat-dropped. "I know, Dad. I won't do anything..."

Chazz got a naughty grin on his face. "Yeah, bro... like you won't do anything before Thanksgiving..." He broke away and started running.

Atticus blushed and then grinned, chasing after his little brother. "Get back here, Chazz! I think someone's asking for another noogie, big brother style!"

"You gotta catch me first!" the younger Rhodes boy shouted.

"He's going to be okay, Jack," Scout smiled as Alexis tore after her brothers as well, prepared to pull ears if necessary.

Jack grinned, chuckling a bit. "I think he is, Scout. He's come a long way since we first met him," he said nostalgically, putting an arm around her.

"Yeah," she agreed, putting her arm around her husband as well.

The group of adults boarded the helicopter and flew off. "Babe, you okay?" Seto asked his wife curiously as they sat back in their plush leather seats.

"Oh yeah," she smiled back gently. "Just... don't be too surprised in a few weeks..."

Seto groaned softly. "Again?" She nodded, with a not so mysterious grin. "Well... I like you that way," he concluded, smiling slightly.

Yugi had caught it. "You mean... Again? Oh, boy..."

"Again?" Hisoka inquired, overhearing Yugi.

Kisara smiled, flushing a bit. "Uh... we've... thought about trying again..."

Hisoka understood, and smiled. "Ah... Well, then, good luck."

Jayda grinned as did Scout and Karen. "How many are you trying for?" the brown-and-redheaded doctor asked.

"Oh, I don't know," the white-blonde answered. "But I think Darla will be giving me discounts at this rate..."

Jack couldn't help but laugh a little. "I'm sure the kids will be thrilled to have another brother or sister."

"They will," Seto answered, flushing even more deeply than his wife. And so the helicopter flew toward Domino.

Meanwhile... "Well, back to class," Bastion said as the teen group walked back toward the main building.

Violet sighed. "Yep. At least we'll get a break in two weeks! Thanksgiving!" she cheered excitedly.

"Yes... well, we've finally all caught up with our work," the Ra genius grinned. "So we have a bit of fun!"

"Yeah... I got clearance to deep fry a turkey!" Tyson whooped.

Rosa stared at him. "Deep fry...a turkey?" she asked, sweat-dropping. She was still getting used to the idea of Thanksgiving in itself, having had her first the year before. And just when she was beginning to understand the holiday, her fiancé had to throw her back into a state of confusion.

"Yeah, darlin'... We ain't bakin' it in the oven, and it'll taste great!" the Texas Ra grinned, remembering when his dad deep-fried turkeys.

"Just don't start a fire...okay? I've seen videos," Syrus said, grinning sheepishly. It was actually common knowledge that improper deep frying of a turkey almost always led to flames.

"Don't worry, Syrus. I've got it figured. And I'll make sure the turkey's completely thawed," Tyson reassured the smaller young man.

Speaking of food... "Mademoiselle Blair, really, I am not hungry," said a quiet voice from up ahead, a bit wearily.

"Marcel, you hardly ever eat anything! Come on, I brought you something from Professor Sartyr. It's that almond-fried chicken you like so much," a familiar young female voice countered.

"Hey, is that Blair?" Atticus asked as the owners of the two voices came into view. The female was indeed Blair, holding a box in her hands. The other person was a boy about the same size, but far thinner. He had short, trimmed brown hair and large, cyan blue eyes. They were shadowed, and held a sad look to them. The boy was also wearing a Ra Yellow uniform, though even in its small size it appeared large on his tiny frame.

"Hey, Blair!" Jaden called out.

"Hey, Jaden, hey, guys," the eleven-year-old girl greeted.

"Who's this?" Annie asked, looking at the little Ra with a kind smile.

Marcel instantly became nervous, and it was quite obvious. He fidgeted a bit, looking away as he stammered out an answer. "A-Ah...I am… M-Marcel..."

"Bonjour, Monsieur Marcel, I am Bastion Misawa," Bastion greeted in perfect French.

Marcel was taken aback by the sudden French, especially since it was fluent. "You...speak French?" he asked, a little more confident speaking his own language.

"Oui," Bastion answered. "I speak a little..." And then he switched back to English. "I'm afraid we haven't met before now..."

Marcel's gaze turned to the ground; he'd always been nervous around other people. And everyone at the school was so much bigger and stronger than he was...except for Blair. She was his first and only friend...so far. "I...do not leave my dorm much," he admitted.

"Well, maybe we oughta change that, Private. The name's Tyson Hassleberry. I'm a Ra, too, but I've been livin' with my fiancée, Rosa in Obelisk," Tyson greeted cheerfully.

Marcel had to look up just to see Tyson's face; if it wasn't for the friendly greeting, he would have been scared out of his wits. He thought for sure that the huge Ra could break him in half without a second thought. "U-Uh..."

"Do not worry about him, Marcel. He is not as scary as he may look," Rosa said soothingly, smiling. It was an even bigger collision of cultures, though the two countries were close by border. French was meeting Spanish, English being neither student's native tongue.

Annie stepped forward. "May I offer my assistance as translator?" she asked politely, having knowledge of both French and Spanish.

Both Marcel and Rosa looked at her. "Um...okay," he answered.

Rosa nodded. "Sure." And so Annie stood, ready to listen as Rosa introduced herself and Marcel introduced himself. She translated that easily and then they drew into a short conversation.

The two found a common ground. Both of them had transferred to this school from practically another world, and had to adjust to the new culture. "You may not understand some of the things Americans do now, but it will make sense in time. Oh, and don't take the way they name things too literally. Like pinecones," Rosa explained.

"Pinecones? Oh yes, Blair explained that to me. I was really confused with some names... Like one of Madame Dorothy's frappucinos," Marcel replied, sweat-dropping.

"As I said, you'll get the hang of it. I did...though don't be surprised if you still get confused every now and then," Rosa said reassuringly as the conversation came to a close.

Annie drew a breath as she finished translating. "Well, Marcel, we're all glad to help you get better acquainted with this school. And if you want..."

"We'll be your friends!" Jaden finished eagerly. "Oh, I'm Jaden, by the way," he grinned, shaking the small boy's hand. In Jaden's eagerness, he ended up shaking Marcel's entire body. And the smaller boy stumbled when the Slifer finally let go. He actually found himself feeling a bit dizzy. Jaden realized. "Oh... sorry about that, Marcel..." The entire older group introduced themselves to the French boy, trying to make him feel at home. "So... do you want to go get a treat with us after class?" the brown-and-redheaded young man invited.

"You...want to, er, 'hang out' with me?" Marcel asked in surprise, trying out an American phrase he had heard around the school.

Everyone grinned. "Yeah, little buddy," Tyson answered, keeping his easy smile on. "You're part of our platoon!"

"Platoon...?" Marcel vaguely remembered the word belonging to the subject of military, and was confused.

"Oh, sorry. My daddy's a retired general in the US army and so I talk like I'm in the army," Tyson apologized.

"What he means is, you're a part of our group, just like Blair is," Jasmine translated.

And then, there was a rustling of a bush and out popped Professor Bonaparte. "Oh... terribly sorry, children. I was... looking for my contact lens!" he said, blushing.

Instantly, Marcel tensed, heartbeat shooting up to the speed of a mouse's. "Uh, um, excusez-moi! I just remembered that I need to, er....do my homework!" he stammered out before turning on his heel and running off. Marcel was actually pretty fast for his size and frame.

The group exchanged glances. "Professor," Jaden said, kneeling down, "let me help you."

"No, no, it's all right. I just found it and I'll go clean it before my next class," Bonaparte lied. And then he ran off.

"What was that all about?" Annie wondered, her eyes wide.

And of course, to no one's surprise… "I smell a conspiracy!" Violet exclaimed, lifting a finger into the air dramatically.

Bastion nodded. "Darling... you may be right this time... I think we do have a conspiracy on our hands. But rather than repeat the picnic incident... I think we need to go through official channels..."

"What do you mean, 'right this time'? I'm always right-" Violet began, but was interrupted by Syrus to save an argument from starting up.

"What kind of official channels, Bastion?"

"We go to Chancellor Shepherd," Bastion answered.

"Or Dr. Crowler. They seem to hang out a lot," Jaden added.

"Yeah," Mindy agreed. "But the rumor mill says they're not an item..."

Several faces in the group turned green. "Ewwww," Blair groaned. "Those two... together? EWWW!!!"

Alexis groaned. "Mindy, _why_ did you bring that up?!"

"I...don't know," Mindy answered, blushing.

"Well, I suggest we forget all about that subject and get back to the one we were going to try researching in the first place," Atticus stated quickly.

"Good idea," Jasmine groaned. "So we have to find out about Marcel... and why Professor Bonaparte is acting bizarre..."

"Hello, kids," a deep voice said. Everyone turned to see Professor Thelonius Viper.

"Oh, hey Professor Viper! Long time no see," Violet greeted cheerfully.

Professor Viper, once cleared of Yubel's less-than-kind influence and having accepted his son's death, had evidently decided that the students of Duel Academy needed a friendly but firm fatherly teacher. And so he had gladly given hugs, words of encouragement, and even helped with student study groups. And now, his fatherly radar was working well in finding teens in a possible conspiracy. "Hello, Violet. Looks like all of you kids are doing better today. How's the ankle, Annie?"

"Better, sir," she smiled. "I'll be off the crutches in a couple of weeks."

"Good... now I have to wonder. You all were talking about finding out something about Professor Bonaparte and Marcel, is that right?"

"Yeah. They both acted really weird just a minute ago... Professor Bonaparte appeared, and Marcel ran off. And then Professor Bonaparte left too, but he seemed to be in a hurry," Syrus explained.

Professor Viper knew all too well what was going on, being privy to certain information. However, he could not reveal it to the students. 'These children are good sleuths,' he thought quickly. 'I can't tell them... but I can nudge them in the right direction.' "I suggest you check the teachers' biography on the school website. Sometimes, secrets are hidden right out in the open..."

Axel's eyebrows raised. "Sir?" And Viper gave his student a significant look and the dark-skinned young man's eyes widened in shock.

"Axel? You all right, mate?" Jim asked, noticing his friend's sudden shock.

Viper nodded, knowing his message had gotten across. "See you in class, everyone..." And he left to get to his class.

"Professor Viper just helped us," Axel explained. "He knows we'd figure things out but he gave us a push."

"Wait, you mean he already knows what we're lookin' for, and he didn't even tell us?!" Jesse asked, putting his hands on his hips.

Axel nodded. "He'd know about Marcel... and Bonaparte has something to do with it!"

Annie, Bastion and Tyson looked at each other. "He's right... Faculty would have to know!" Annie exclaimed.

"Well then let's take his advice and go look up Professor Bonaparte's biography," Atticus stated, grinning excitedly.

"One problem," Blair realized, looking at her watch. "We have to be in class!"

"OH CRAP!" Jaden shouted.

The gang tore off to class and after doing her assigned reading in Professor Stein's class, Annie took a look at Professor Bonaparte's biography. "What the..?" she muttered softly. "Sy... look at this."

Syrus scooted over a little, looking at Annie's screen. "What is it, Annie?" he whispered.

She pointed. "His marital status and how many kids he has... He's divorced and has one son..."

"I didn't even know he was married... Wait, a son? Annie...do you think...?" He muttered, exchanging looks with her.

"Yes, I do... And now that I think about it... Look at Bonaparte and then Marcel," she whispered, pulling up a picture of the two side by side.

"They have the same hair and eye color... And they are both short," he whispered back, noting the similarities.

Yeah... well, that's a huge piece of the puzzle right there... We'd better get back to reading before Professor... Stein... he's standing right behind me, isn't he?" Annie asked, abruptly sweat-dropping.

Syrus sweat-dropped and nodded once. "Miss Hanson...might I inquire as to what could be more interesting than the reading I assigned to you?" Professor Stein questioned, pushing his glasses farther up his nose.

Poor Annie was beet-red. "Sorry, sir. I already read it, sir, and I'm re-reading it." This was true, as Annie was gifted in speed-reading. But she always read material at least twice to be sure she got it all. "But... umm... could I tell you privately what I was researching, please?"

Stein blinked a few times in surprise, but let it slide since it was the truth. "Well...all right. Stay after class and you can tell me then."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," she answered, blush still evident. "I am so dead," she groaned softly to Sy from behind her book as the teacher walked away.

Syrus offered his fiancée a sheepish grin. "Well...he is a lot nicer now. Maybe he won't be too mad...especially since you did read the book..."

"Yeah... still, oooh," Annie groaned softly. The class bell rang about 15 minutes later and she made her way down the lecture hall, crutches clicking in the quieting hall. "Sorry for straying off-task, sir," she began when she got to Professor Stein.

Stein sighed. "It's all right, Miss Hanson. It was a first offense for you, so I'll let you off with a warning... But I still want to know what you were doing instead of your assignment."

"Yes, sir... See, our whole group is worried about Marcel..." She took a deep breath, knowing that his reaction just might complete the puzzle... "Bonaparte..."

His eyebrows rose considerably in surprise, and he interlocked his fingers, leaning on his elbows. "Miss Hanson...how did you know of their relation?" he asked, seriously.

Annie couldn't hide a blush, knowing now that she was right. "A little research." She handed him her PDA still set to the professor's website and the picture of him and Marcel side-by-side. "It's just... sir, he's sad without his dad, we think. And Blair says he barely ever eats anything..."

Professor Stein handed Annie back her PDA and met her eyes, still serious. "Yes...the staff is quite aware of this, Miss Hanson. Several of us have spoken with Professor Bonaparte, especially Dr. Crowler and Chancellor Shepherd. But I'm afraid whatever it is that is causing this tension is too deep for us to try and fix on our own..."

"Then... can we help Marcel?" she asked, worried but clearly eager to do what she could.

"You could very well try. It's probably a good idea, in fact. Last I knew...Blair was the only person he interacted with. Maybe having some more friends will do him some good," he explained, smiling a little.

"Thank you, sir," Annie smiled, impulsively hugging the instructor.

Stein's eyes widened a little, but then he hesitantly returned the hug. "You're, er, quite welcome, Miss Hanson..."

And so, shortly after the last period of the day, the gang met up before meeting Marcel and Blair at Dorothy's snack shop. "You guys are sure?" Jaden asked for the third time.

Syrus sweat-dropped and nodded. "Yes, Jay, we're sure. Even Professor Stein confirmed it. Right, Annie?"

"Right. If he hadn't reacted the way he had, I couldn't have been sure," she agreed. "So we know who Marcel is now. The question is... why are they avoiding each other? Unless the divorce was messy and Marcel came here to be with his dad or to spite his dad..."

"If it was to spite him, I don't think he'd run away whenever the other was around," Violet stated, having lots of experience in spiting her big brother.

"Unless it was to make Bonaparte feel isolated... but that doesn't make sense," Bastion said aloud.

"Right... Because he came all the way here from his home. So he would have already felt isolated," Alexis continued, frowning.

"Yeah... So... well, we'll talk to Marcel about it," Jaden said.

"Tactfully," Tyson stated, knowing full well that the Sarge could get into things too fast and too soon.

"Si. We don't want to scare him," Rosa agreed.

"It'll scare the living daylights out of him that we know," Jasmine knew.

"If we don't handle it right, he probably won't let us talk to him about it," Atticus added.

"So... let's just take it slow with him," Tyson said as Blair and Marcel ran up to them.

"Hey, everybody!" the lone Slifer girl greeted. "I had to drag Marcel here," she groaned, clearly frustrated.

Marcel rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Je suis desole. I am...not used to having plans with other people..."

"It's all right, Marcel. We're just hanging out," Annie soothed.

"Right..."

"Well, what are we standing around here for? Let's head over to Dorothy's!" Violet exclaimed, lessening the tension.

And so they did. Several stomachs were rumbling, particularly Jaden's, Violet's and Annie's. "I wish it was Eggwich Day," Jaden sighed.

"I wish it was already Thanksgiving," Violet muttered, pouting.

"I wish I could decide what I wanted," Annie added. "Everything on the menu looks so good... And I need to fatten up... Right, honey?" she asked her fiancé.

Syrus smiled. "Yeah. It's good that you have an appetite again, Annie." Marcel stared up at the menu, frowning a little. He'd come to Dorothy's snack shop once before at Blair's request, but none of the items had looked at all appealing to him. And it was the same now; he simply didn't have the appetite for anything anymore.

"Hello, Marcel," Dorothy smiled from behind the counter. "Hey, guys."

"Hey, Dorothy!" Jaden grinned as the plump woman came around the counter to give the Slifer boy a hug.

"Glad you're feeling better, Auto Club," she smiled, calling him what she had when they'd first met.

"At least your truck isn't giving you anymore trouble, Dorothy," Alexis said in reply, smirking. She remembered seeing Jaden push the truck to the school building once or twice.

"No. And Kaiba Corp bought a new hybrid," Dorothy answered. "How are you, Chazz?"

"I'm better, too," the raven-haired, red-clad boy answered, smiling back. "And... I think I want a banana split today..."

"Oh, that sounds good! I'll take one too!" Atticus piped up, grinning.

"Nachos for me, please!" Violet quipped happily.

"Sy, want the chocolate raspberry sundae?" Annie asked.

Syrus grinned. "Yeah, that sounds great!"

"Just a raspberry-banana smoothie for me, Dorothy," Alexis added.

"Hmmm... I think I'll have a taco," Tyson said.

"Uh... fruit smoothie for me," Axel requested.

"I'd like some rice balls, please," Adrian added.

"I'll have a bean burrito," Rosa said.

"A hot dog for me and some jerky for Shirley," Jim requested, Shirley giving a grunt of approval.

"And I'll just have a chili dog," Jesse added, smiling.

Blair smiled. "I'll have a fudge sundae, please, Dorothy. What do you want, Marcel? My treat..."

Marcel sighed. "I am...not very hungry, Mademoiselle Blair," he answered truthfully. "I...had a snack in my dorm." That was a lie, but he didn't want her to pester him, and he didn't want to worry her.

"Please, Marcel... Please?" Blair asked, giving him chibi eyes.

Marcel sweat-dropped, knowing he couldn't resist those. "All right... I guess I will have a pretzel..."

Bastion ordered a chocolate parfait, earning looks from the guys. "Hey, it has more caffeine than coffee..."

Violet grinned, wrapping an arm around her genius fiancé. "Hey! I respect a guy who has the nerve to order a girly snack. It's like wearing pink. Ya gotta have guts to do it!"

"We all wore pink that one time... Jaden," Chazz growled good-naturedly. "He accidentally got a red jacket in the white load when he had laundry duty..."

Syrus put on a sheepish grin. "Hey, that was partially my fault... We were both on laundry duty that day."

"Nah, we were just in a rush, Sy... Hmmm... Dorothy, I'd love some rice balls, pastries and some cheese puffs," Jaden concluded. Mindy and Jasmine selected some ice cream, and the group sat down at the tables, waiting for their treats. Marcel, unused to this sort of thing, kept his eyes glued to the polished tabletop. His hands fidgeted a bit on his lap, and he still had the same sad feeling hanging about him. The group of teens looked at each other. "So, where are you from, Marcel?" Jaden asked.

Marcel looked up in surprise, then frowned and looked back down. "Paris," he answered nervously.

"Paris... I've only been there once when Daddy went on a business trip," Annie said eagerly. "Have you been to Notre Dame Cathedral?"

Marcel looked over at her, and this time didn't return his gaze to the table. "Oui...I went there a few times with Mère and..." He suddenly cut off, and the mood around him seemed to dampen even more.

"Papa?" Jaden guessed.

Marcel looked away, frowning deeply. If it had seemed his eyes couldn't look any sadder, they did now. "...Oui..."

Jaden caught it. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad. Are your parents not together?"

"Oui...they divorced when I was younger," Marcel admitted, turning his gaze back to the table. His hands tightened a little from their spot on his lap.

Blair on impulse put her arm around him. "Marcel... please... if you want to talk about it... we'll all listen..."

"Yeah... Marcel, if you want to talk, we're all here," Jaden added.

But there was a sort of stony resolve in Marcel's expression beside the sadness. This was his problem, and he'd handle it by himself. "It was just a divorce. I'm fine... There is nothing wrong at all," he asserted, a hint of sternness edging his tone. Unfortunately, he couldn't muster much, not being that sort of person.

Bastion met his eyes. "Well... the door is open, Marcel. And we all know that we can come to each other when we're troubled... And that means you as well, now. So if you would like to talk about that, feel free. But for now... let's enjoy our treats and each other's company."

"Sounds like a plan," Jaden grinned, digging into his food as Sadie and Dorothy brought it all. The others did much the same, Violet and Jaden a bit more vigorously than the rest. But Marcel mostly poked at his food, simply not having the stomach for it. Bastion's words continued to run through his head, but his resolve to solve this problem himself didn't lessen whatsoever.

"So... do you want to know stuff about us?" Tyson asked.

"H-Huh?" Marcel mumbled, looking up and having apparently been lost in thought.

"Well, you can ask us anything," the big Ra offered. "Like about what we've done in school, how we met... dumb things we've done to impress girls..." At the last, he winked at Blair who blushed.

But they all could tell Marcel had something on his mind. "Talk when you feel like it," Mindy offered. And so the group chatted, hoping Marcel would join in. But Marcel truly did have something on his mind as he stared at his uneaten pretzel; or more specifically, the grains of salt covering the pretzel. It reminded him of something that had happened years ago, back in Paris when he was still young…

_Part of the mystery around Marcel has been solved, but not all of it. What happened in his past that he hasn't shared with his new friends? Next time, more about Marcel is revealed in "Ballad of the Bonapartes." Until next time, please read and review! Thank you!_


	18. Ballad of the Bonapartes

Chapter XVIII: Ballad of the Bonapartes

_Hello again, everyone and welcome back to "Darkness Falls." We're glad to see you're sticking with this tale despite the delays and madness. Anyway, first, if you noticed a change in our writing style in that last chapter, it may be related to the fact that this and the previous few chapters were written after Peach's hard drive died and the story had to be redone. We hope that difference hasn't jarred your enjoyment of the tale. _

_Well, let's get right to the new chapter! Last time, Seto and Kisara… enjoyed themselves in Jaden and Alexis's room. Then the students got back to normal and devoted themselves to finding out the truth about Marcel and Professor Bonaparte. Thanks to Blair and Professor Viper, the gang got Marcel to hang out with them and confirmed his last name. At Dorothy's snack shop, the gang tries to get him to talk, but instead he goes into a reverie. What is he remembering? Read on…_

_**Legal stuff: Please see the previous chapter for what we do and don't own. Thank you.**_

_Authors' note: You may need tissues for this chapter. It's sad. We have taken certain liberties with the Bonapartes' story, perhaps filling in blanks. We hope you don't mind. Thank you._

Three years previously, ten-year-old Marcel Bonaparte sat down to the usual dinner at home with his parents. His mother had made bouillabaisse, a fish soup. The three sat around the table of their small house, Marcel happily digging into the French cuisine he'd been raised on. For a moment, little Marcel was oblivious to the tension in the room as he ate. His parents exchanged calm conversation, but they seemed to be avoiding something major. Jean-Louis Bonaparte was strongly considering getting the training and then going to teach at Duel Academy Central in the US, but his wife was not happy with this idea, despite the extra money the family would receive. Finally, Jean-Louis spoke. "Antoinette, we need to discuss... the future," he said slowly, hoping she wouldn't react badly.

Antoinette wasn't the most radiant of women, but she had a pretty face and a petite build. Her blonde hair was curled and fell to her shoulders, and her blue eyes were the same shade as the sky on a clear day. With a sigh, she laid down her spoon and didn't look at her husband. Marcel continued to eat, though a bit less vigorously. He knew what the word "future" and that sigh put together meant. "Jean, I know what you're going to say. And I am still against this radical idea of yours," Antoinette began, obviously making her voice stay at a calm level.

"But darling, it means more money for us... and a better future for Marcel. Proper school isn't exactly cheap and he will be nearly grown before we know it," Jean-Louis reasoned. "I cannot find a well-enough paying job in Paris or anywhere in France, and I could double my salary..."

Antoinette brought her hand up to her temple, already feeling a headache coming on. How many times had they argued over this? "You believe flying away to another country—no, another continent, even—will make a better future for Marcel?? He needs his father! What boy his age doesn't have a father at home to look up to? Every boy needs his father for guidance; they will shun him! Yes, we need the money. But there must be another way." Marcel cringed as his mother's voice raised slightly, his big, blue eyes focusing hard on what was left of his soup. He hated when they argued like this; it was getting harder and harder to tell himself nothing would happen.

Jean-Louis could see the pain in his son's eyes, knowing what was coming. He could've insisted that he and Antoinette go in another room and discuss this after dinner, but the truth was if they got into another of their screaming matches, Marcel would hear from any point in the house. "Don't you think I've looked for another way?" he asked in a still-calm tone, meeting her eyes with his own. "And I know Marcel, that you need me, my boy... I will come home in the summer and at breaks so we can be together..."

Marcel nodded a bit meekly, but put on a smile for his father and mother. However, he knew that if his father left, he would indeed feel very lonely. And the children at school would only increase their torment of him. They already made fun of him for his size and weak frame. It was as if Antoinette could see what her son was thinking, and her eyes narrowed slightly. "And how often will these 'breaks' be, Jean? And when you do come back, will Marcel not be busy with school? This...'Duel Academy' you wish to work at so badly has a very different schedule from Marcel's school. What will the other children think? When Marcel is the only boy whose father is not there for school functions or events? We know how they treat you already, honey," she said, reaching over to gently place her hand over her only child's.

Jean-Louis fought his own emotions. "Marcel... I don't make this decision lightly... Antoinette, do you not think that I weighed this in the balance?" he asked, clearly pained. "But when I know we are just struggling to make ends meet and put bread on this table, I feel I have no choice but to take this job. And then we can make up for that lost time..." He would not yell at his wife if he could avoid it. Not in front of their son.

And then Antoinette snapped. "Oh, stop it with the excuses, Jean! We both know that you just want to go overseas to teach! The money is simply a reason for you to give us so that you can go!! In the end you're only thinking of yourself."

Jean-Louis looked at his son's dinner plate and bowl and noticed the boy had finished his food. "Marcel... go upstairs to your room please," he said, clearly feeling terrible that it had come to this.

Marcel didn't argue; he simply pushed back his chair and stood. Heading out of the room, he stopped behind the wall of the doorway and walked in place. The past few nights he had done this, so that he could secretly hear what his parents were talking about. Yes, he could hear yelling from his room, but it was muffled. And so he now pressed his back against the wall and held his breath, waiting for it to start.

"Antoinette, this isn't fair. Do you think you and Marcel are not my entire universe? And that I am somehow happy to leave all that I know and love?" Jean-Louis asked, raising his voice slightly.

"Of course this isn't fair! If we were your entire universe, as you said, you would at least stay in the country! Money cannot possibly be the only reason you would go so far away from your family!!" Antoinette countered, her own voice rising fast. Marcel cringed, fingertips tightening against the wall as he shrank a little. They'd started yelling sooner than usual.

"You know we just get by, and that is with Marcel's current schooling! We can't just keep him in his current school with my pay level!" Jean-Louis shouted back, his temper taking control, and he hoped that Marcel didn't hear that.

"And you think leaving and putting him in a new school is going to change all of that?! With the way he is now, AND not having his father, it will be many times worse!! He would be better off staying at his current school if that would be the case!!" Antoinette's voice had risen to a fever pitch, her temper even shorter than her husband's.

Marcel's eyes snapped wide, his heart stopping mid-beat. It felt as if his blood had run cold, even though he was suddenly sweating. 'It's...because of me...?' he thought, shocked. Slowly, he slid down the wall, sitting on the floor. 'Papa is going to leave...because of me not being strong enough... It's...my fault,' he realized with a pang of guilt.

Jean-Louis shouted back, "Marcel can stay at his current school if I get this job! L'amour, can't you understand that? His tuition will be raised shortly and we will be forced to pull him out of that school... Unless you are willing to give up that stupid class of yours..." And then the truth of the matter came up. "Or is Monsieur LaMonte more important than me?" he asked, voice going deceptively soft.

That did it. Marcel jumped slightly as a banging sound was heard, daring a quick peek around the side of the doorway. From the looks of it, his mother had slammed her hands down on the table as she had stood in her rage. The cutlery had clattered, and even the salt shaker had spilled over. The tiny white grains slid across the brown surface of the table, and his mother's face was hidden by her hair. "Do not...drag Monsieur LaMonte into this, Jean. He has NOTHING to do with any of this! He is only my teacher! And it is a class I am taking so that I can also get a job to raise money for this family!! If you cannot understand that and respect him, then we have nothing to say to each other!!" And with that, Antoinette turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. Marcel pressed his tiny body against the wall as she stomped past, but she was far too angry to see him. He winced as a door slammed, likely his mother either locking herself in the bathroom or bedroom.

The truth was that Antoinette had been having an affair and one afternoon, Jean-Louis had seen her and the teacher in a park together acting more like lovers than student and teacher. And it had broken his heart. He went and picked up the fallen cutlery and the rest of the mess, and then sat at the table and wept.

Marcel slowly stood, not really understanding that the core of this problem was the affair. He was too young to grasp such a concept. All he knew was that both of his parents had stated that he was one of the causes. And that was enough for him to blame himself and feel guilty. For a moment, he stood in the open doorway, debating on what to do. But finally, he decided that to simply go to his room would cause less trouble for his father. Perhaps it hadn't been the best of decisions, but there was no turning back time.

The next day, Jean-Louis left the house. He hugged Marcel good-bye, telling the boy how much he loved him and that what was going on was not his fault. But Marcel couldn't shake the feeling that it was his fault.

And then Marcel was back in the present, not even realizing that he had completely zoned out for a good five minutes or so. He blinked when he felt someone waving a hand in front of his face. "Hello? Anyone in there?" Violet asked, pulling her hand back. Everyone at the table was staring at the petite Ra in a mixture of worry and curiosity.

"Marcel?" Blair asked softly, laying her hand on his, "Are you okay? You... spaced out for a minute..." Her amber eyes locked onto his sky-blue ones, and her face was the most worried of the group.

Marcel swallowed down the lump in his throat, cursing himself for having such a memory at a time like this. It was one of the worst he had. "O-Oui...I am fine. But...I, uh, need to use the toilet," he muttered, standing up.

"Need any help?" Bastion offered kindly, hoping the little Ra wasn't getting sick.

"Er, no, merci. I will be all right," Marcel said quickly, giving a slight wave before leaving the snack shop. He hadn't touched his pretzel, and the second he was far enough away he ran. Marcel ran straight back to his dorm, needing to be alone. He hated that he'd had to lie, but thought for sure that the others would have held him back had he said where he was really going.

"He didn't head to the latrine," Tyson muttered after Marcel had gone, his face tight. "He just needed to retreat..."

"Yeah," Axel agreed, his own face a bit pained.

"He didn't eat his pretzel," Blair added, the worry not abating from her expression.

"And he didn't exactly say much, either... This didn't exactly go as we'd hoped it would, did it?" Syrus asked, frowning.

"No... he didn't," Jaden groaned. "But... we need to talk to Professor Sartyr too... If Marcel's not eating right, he could really make himself sick..."

"Yeah," Annie agreed, looking at her still-very-thin arm and knowing what not eating right or enough could do, "it can give him more trouble..."

"Maybe Professor Sartyr knows some French recipes. Marcel might be more interested in eating the food he grew up on," Alexis added.

Rosa nodded. "Si. That is right. Last year, I was a little uncomfortable with the food they served."

The group, a lot more subdued, finished their afternoon snacks and headed straight for the Ra Yellow dorms. "Hello, Professor," Bastion greeted when they arrived.

Professor Sartyr had just finished talking with some Ra students, and he smiled happily when the group walked over. "Hello, Bastion, everyone! What brings you here?" he greeted warmly.

"Sir... we're worried about Marcel... You see... we aren't sure if he's eating right and he seems depressed," Bastion explained, his eyes sad.

Sartyr frowned a bit, placing a hand to his chin. "Yes...I noticed that myself. He was already petite when he came here, but he has become even thinner... At this rate, he'll need to be admitted into the infirmary. Did you have an idea on how to solve this problem?"

Bastion looked at the rest of the group and gripped his fiancée's hand. "Sir... we think he needs his father to talk to him. We've done investigative work and we know his father is on staff... Marcel needs him to be whole..."

Professor Sartyr sighed; he'd thought that was coming. "Sir, we know that you and the other teachers have been trying to do it. But maybe if we help, it can happen," Violet asserted sincerely. The card design teacher and Ra proctor considered all of this for a few moments before speaking. "Perhaps...you are right. But if this is going to be a success, I believe you should at least speak with the chancellor first." Together, they nodded, seeing the logic.

It was then that one of the Ra boys came running. This boy, like Tyson, was from Texas and had sandy blonde-brown hair and blue eyes. "Professor, come quick!" Phil McGraw called. "Marcel's passed out in the bathroom!" The entire group exchanged horrified glances.

"What?!" Professor Sartyr gasped in shock. His responsibilities as a teacher taking over, he didn't hesitate to break into a run for the boys' bathroom. The group along with Phil ran after him, knowing this might be serious.

When they arrived, the small Ra was sprawled near the sink while one of the other boys was trying to restore him to consciousness. "Marcel!" Blair yelped, falling to her knees next to the boy. "Please wake up!" He was out cold, though.

"Let's try to revive him. Phil, prop up his head and shoulders with your jacket. Bastion, get a damp washcloth for his head," Sartyr ordered quickly. He pulled off his own blazer, carefully folding it up to prop up Marcel's legs.

Bastion and Phil moved quickly and Tyson also took his jacket off and put it under Marcel's legs. But the small boy wouldn't wake up. "Why won't he wake up?" Blair asked, terrified.

Annie moved to the boy's side and checked his pulse. "It's steady... he should be okay... If he hasn't eaten, his body's weak..."

"Basically, Blair, his body is lacking proper nutrition. It looks like I will have to call Miss Fontaine," Professor Sartyr explained, pulling out his PDA. He had the nurse on speed dial.

"Hello, this is Miss Fontaine," the pretty nurse answered her PDA.

"Fonda, it's me, Don. We have a situation here at Ra..." The proctor's voice was serious, as well as worried.

"Don, what is it?" she asked, getting up to get her medical bag.

"You know Marcel Bonaparte, right? He's been malnourished for a few weeks now... I'm afraid it has finally gotten to him; he's passed out in the boys' bathroom here at Ra," he explained, sighing.

"Okay... I'll come down with a stretcher. Is he breathing all right?"

"Yes, and his pulse is steady."

Fonda nodded. "Okay... We'll get him stabilized and then call his father... I'll be down in a couple of minutes!" They said goodbye and then hung up.

It didn't take long for the nurse to get down to Ra and determine that Marcel needed to be moved to the infirmary. He was moved and then hooked to IVs to get his body fluids working right. "Marcel," Blair whispered as he started to wake up, "it's okay... I'm here..."

Slowly, Marcel opened his large, round eyes, a soft groan leaving his lips. The last thing he remembered was standing in the bathroom, feeling sick. And then the floor had spun upward to meet him. "M...Mademoiselle...Blair...?"

"Yeah," she answered, relief flooding her features. "And... your dad's coming..."

The small teen instantly tensed, eyes going wide. "H-He is coming??" Marcel shook, yanking up the blankets over his face. "I don't want to see him..."

"Marcel... it's all right," Miss Fontaine soothed, moving into his field of vision. "We need him here..." She gently moved the blanket so he could see her and explained, "Since your father's here, he needs to talk to me and to you..."

"No..." He frowned deeply, closing his eyes. "I don't want to talk to him. I'm only causing him trouble again..."

"You never cause me trouble, my sweet boy," Jean-Louis Bonaparte said from the door of the room. His plump face was pale and his eyes were wide with fear and concern for his only child.

Marcel looked over at his father for just a moment, but quickly looked away. "Yes I do... I always did..."

The group of teens parted, and the tween girl moved away to allow the professor to get to his son. "Marcel... why would you think that?" he asked, pained.

Marcel's eyes only saddened; he'd never been one to cry, but to simply feel the sadness. "You...and Mère... Both of you said it was because of me...and what was happening at school," he stated, as if it was painstakingly obvious.

"No... no," Bonaparte murmured, gathering Marcel into his arms as if he were a much smaller child. "No... Marcel... I'll tell you what happened... and it was not your fault..."

"Guys... I think they need some privacy," Annie whispered.

"Good idea, Annie," Syrus whispered. The large group quickly took their leave, so that it was only father and soon in the room. "P-Papa...wasn't it because of me that you left...?" Marcel asked shakily.

"No... You heard that last fight, didn't you," Jean-Louis asked sadly. Marcel nodded, gaze turning to the bed sheets. "Our marriage was falling apart before that," the worried father explained in their native tongue. "And it was not your fault... What else did you hear?"

"Papa...I know about...Monsieur LaMonte," Marcel muttered, frowning.

Jean-Louis held his boy close. "I had a feeling... Perhaps I was not a good enough husband... or I was too old for Maman..."

"I don't know, but...I-I missed you, Papa... I avoided you....because I thought I was a...a burden..."

Jean-Louis looked his son straight in the eyes. "You are not... nor will you ever be a burden... Marcel... I love you so much...."

"Papa..." Marcel wrapped his arms around his father in a tight hug. "I love you, too..."

"Are you hungry?"

"A...A little...I guess," the small boy admitted.

"Okay," Jean-Louis murmured, pleased to hear it. A short time later, Professor Sartyr came into the room with a simple but delicious beef stew from an old French recipe.

The sight and smell of something from home comforted Marcel, and he actually seemed to put effort into eating. "Mmm...c'est délicieux, Professor Sartyr."

Sartyr grinned. "I'm glad you like it, Marcel. You need to eat and regain your strength."

"Merci, Don... for the food and for looking after my boy," Jean-Louis said, helping his son to sit up and eat.

"You're quite welcome, Jean. I am always glad to help my students," Don replied happily as the boy ate his food.

It wasn't too long after that that Marcel began to fall asleep. His father sang a gentle lullaby from France. It felt like ages since Marcel had felt this peaceful, and it had barely been a minute before he had drifted off. The sadness that had clung to him had lessened significantly, replaced by a calm feeling.

Jean-Louis brushed his child's bangs and kept singing, remembering how Marcel would sometimes stay awake until the song was over. But something was different tonight. "How did anyone find out who he was?" he asked the Ra teacher.

Don couldn't help the smile that made its way onto his face. "I'm not sure, Jean. I suggest speaking with Jaden and his friends. They were the ones who knew..."

"We can't keep it secret anymore... I just hope it doesn't lead to more trouble for him," the French instructor sighed softly.

"Well...I don't know how that will turn out. But, I do know that the school has become much more tolerant. Also, Marcel has a strong group of friends around to support him this time," Don assured his colleague.

"They won't leave him," Jean-Louis said gently. "I'm so glad..."

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Marcel slept through the night and awoke the next morning to see his father still with him. "Nnn...Papa?" he muttered, a little surprised.

"Good morning, Marcel," Jean-Louis greeted softly, hugging his son. "Did you sleep well?"

"O-Oui...but, what are you doing here still, Papa?"

"I stayed here last night, son... You needed me... And my class has been cancelled this morning so I can help you..."

"But...Papa...I don't want to cause you trouble like this... I...I'm sorry..."

The still-worried father sat on the bed, holding his son close. "Shh... don't worry... And don't apologize, sweet boy. You are my world," Jean-Louis murmured.

"I...I am?" Marcel asked, unused to the feeling of being held like this.

It had been a long time since Jean-Louis had held his child like this. "Yes... you are my world... and being away from you hurt so much..."

"R-Really? Mère said that...you wouldn't miss me..."

Jean-Louis took a breath. His relationship with Antoinette had worsened since the divorce and he had worried about what his son had been told. "You are part of me... to be without you... is painful..." He needed Marcel to understand that he, Jean-Louis, didn't just leave without it hurting to do so.

Marcel looked at his father in understanding. "It was the same for me... I missed you so much, Papa... I needed to be by you, at least..."

"I know... how did you decide to come here?" the father asked curiously.

"I remembered where you said you were going to teach... Dueling was already popular in school, so I tried it. I liked it, so I thought I could come here to see you... Mère didn't mind." Marcel didn't add that his mother had seemed almost pleased that her son wanted to leave.

"I'm so glad..." Father and son talked for a long time that morning, and later in the day, they emerged from the infirmary. "Shall we find your friends, son?" Jean-Louis asked.

"My...friends?" Marcel answered with a question of his own, blinking.

"Yes... all of your friends who were with you yesterday..."

"Oh... They... are not mad at me for leaving them?"

"No. They were all worried about you. In fact... they had figured out who you were and who I was," Jean-Louis smiled, blushing slightly.

Marcel's eyes widened. "They knew? And they still wanted to be my friends?"

The teacher/father nodded. "That's right. They think you're a smart and wonderful boy. And Blair seems to like you a lot..."

Marcel's face instantly heated up, and he looked down. "I think.....I like her, too...."

"Just start as friends... You are only thirteen and she is eleven, after all,"

"I'm still not used to having friends, Papa..."

"Just let things happen..."

"Okay," the boy promised, holding his father's hand as they walked.

_The Bonaparte men are back together, and Jean-Louis has learned that to the students, favoritism doesn't mean you ignore your child. So for those two, things are better. Next time, the group has some holiday fun, so please join us for "DA Holiday!" So until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	19. DA Holiday

Chapter XIX: DA Holiday!

_Hello again, fans of __**Darkness Falls!**__ Sorry again for the delay, everyone. This time, again, it was Peach's fault. Without going into detail, she's been at the doctor's office lately. Anyway, your happy co-authors now bring you another fun chapter…_

_Last time on _Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Darkness Falls…_ Marcel Bonaparte remembered the day that his father and mother had their last big fight. He left the gang and passed out in the Ra boys' bathroom, leading to a reunion with his father. They reconciled and everyone rejoiced. Now, what does the future hold for the gang? Read on to find out!_

_**Disclaimer: Please see the past few chapters to see what we own and don't own.**_

_Authors' notes: CIA refers to the Culinary Institute of America, USC stands for University of Southern California, and Zeta Beta Tau was a fraternity in "Animal House." What happens to Dr. Crowler is an accident that can happen if you don't read labels closely. We love Dr. Crowler; it was fun watching him develop. Further, Buone Natale is how you say "Merry Christmas" in Italian. Finally, the pairing of Don Sartyr and Fonda Fontaine is referred to as Spiceshipping and they are a somewhat shy and sweet couple since they haven't had a lot of experience. Thank you!_

Thanksgiving came and the group celebrated with their parents coming from Domino. In December, there was huge news from Domino right before Christmas. "Wow! Kisara's pregnant!" Jaden yelped, reading the local news on the Internet as he and the gang sat in Dorothy's café, downing hot drinks and eating all the warm chocolate chip cookies they could.

"Are you kidding?!" Alexis asked, looking over his shoulder at the screen.

"Dead serious," Jaden answered, his face taking on the expression of stunned realization. "Hmm... whoa..." The brown-haired Slifer might have been naïve, but he did know how long it takes for a baby to come into the world and that meant the timing had to have been when Seto and Kisara were at Duel Academy.

"You don't think she....when they were..." Alexis blinked a few times, slowly sweat-dropping.

"That's exactly what I'm thinking," he groaned, also sweat-dropping. They both had realized where the couple had stayed and it was a little bit awkward to think about.

"I wonder where they were," Annie muttered, a dazed expression on her face. Seto and Kisara _had_ stayed in Slifer one night after the remodel was complete to make sure that the building was more than satisfactory.

"I don't think I want to know," Syrus said, grinning sheepishly.

"Well, I don't either, but wow... They'll have 5 or 6 kids," the dark-haired girl mused wistfully. A dreamy expression was on her own face as she thought of the children she might have with Sy.

"Or more... There's always that possibility," Violet said, giggling.

"Yeah... but that would mean she might not make it to the wedding," Bastion pointed out, knowing that women who had multiple births sometimes had their travel restricted.

"Okay, never mind, let's hope that's not the case," Violet said quickly, sweat-dropping. She still was stunned from the embarrassing possibility that had been raised, but she also didn't want to think about their friends missing the wedding.

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School let out for winter break and before everyone in the gang knew it, Christmas came. The gang celebrated at Slifer. Blair had gone home for Christmas, but the rest of the group had remained together. It had snowed for the past week and the school grounds had been transformed by the white powdery fluff. "Man, I didn't think this place would look so good!" Jaden grinned, looking at Chazz's suite where the tree was put up along with a lot of other decorations all around the room. "And that tree is huge!!"

"Hey, I have cathedral ceilings, Slacker," the raven-haired boy smirked. The huge Douglas fir tree was decorated with crystal, silver and gold Duel Monster ornaments and lots of red ribbon and tinsel. There was a gold and silver star at the top of the tree with bright red rhinestones around the edges.

"That's a good thing. I doubt this tree would fit anywhere else here," Alexis stated, smiling. She had helped decorate this room, along with both her brothers.

"You're right, Lexi. You'd need to cut a hole in the ceiling!" Atticus quipped, grinning mischievously. Not that he would… or would he?

"Yeah," Chazz grinned. "And all our presents are down here, too... Jaden, what are you..?!" CRASH! Jaden had tried to dive into the presents, only to hit the ground. Somehow, he'd missed the tree. He now was on the ground, stunned. Were this an anime, his eyes would've been in the characteristic unconscious swirls.

Alexis sighed, placing two fingers on her temple to calm herself. "Jaden...I'm not going to ask. I'm just going to help you up," she muttered, holding out her hand.

Once the brown-haired Slifer had shaken himself back to his senses, he took the proffered hand and stood up. "Note to self... diving at presents here is not a good idea..." The guys all cracked up.

Adrian grinned and added, "Don't you dare jump into the Hanukkah gifts tonight, Jaden. That can be hazardous..." Tonight was the 7th night of Hanukkah and the gang was celebrating, as Adrian was Jewish.

"Yeah, Jay! You might land on that wooden top, uh...what's it called again, Adrian?" Jesse asked, looking over at his bespectacled friend.

"It's called a driedel, Jesse," Adrian explained, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "And I have plenty of gelt." Gelt, of course, were chocolate coins. "And tomorrow... We celebrate Kwanzaa, right, Axel?"

Axel nodded. "This is one very unusual multicultural group," he said seriously, as always. The truth was that he was glad to have friends who celebrated the holiday with him. There weren't too many people who did back in his hometown of Grants Pass, Oregon.

Rosa grinned. "I guess we should feel lucky that both Spain and France celebrate Christmas."

"As well as Australia, of course. We celebrate most of the holidays the U.S. does," Jim added. "Got to admit, though, I'm used to bein' in shorts and a t-shirt…"

"Yeah, Australia's in the middle of summer now. We have different traditions, but we're 'children of a common mother,'" Annie quoted from the Peace Arch between the US and Canadian border between Washington State and British Columbia. "The UK is the mother country of America, Canada and Australia, after all..."

There was a knock at the door, and Professor Bonaparte grinned as he came into the room. "Joyeux Noel, everyone! Marcel and I brought a Bunches de Noel!" he said, holding up a chocolate rolled cake with meringue on top. He was clad in a huge blue overcoat and wore a blue deerstalker hat, which gave the professor the appearance of a gigantic walking blueberry.

"And homemade candy," Marcel added with a smile as he held up a plastic bag of chocolate treats, looking cute as ever in his woolen gray scarf and bright red Santa hat, along with a golden yellow snow coat which came past his knees.

"Oh, wow! Sam Hill, you guys must've been busy!" Tyson exclaimed, seeing the big bag of treats.

Marcel blushed a little, embarrassed. "Papa said...we needed some time together."

"We did, Marcel... Thankfully, we had use of the Ra kitchen," his father grinned. "Now... let's enjoy some of this chocolate!"

"Just be careful some of us don't get too much," Syrus said, sweat-dropping. They all knew who he meant by "some of us." Several eyes went onto Violet, Jaden and Atticus.

Chazz, in particular, looked daggers at his brother. "Bro, take it easy or I will make you into a human snowman!" he threatened.

Atticus grinned sheepishly, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, I won't go overboard on the chocolate..."

"The same goes for you, Jaden. The last thing we need is you streaking outside through the snow and catching pneumonia," Alexis warned, sending him "the look".

Jaden nodded solemnly. "Babe... I have no desire to spend the holidays or the start of the next semester sick. I think I've had enough of that for one year," he groaned, getting his classic frustrated look.

"That we all have," Bastion agreed, remembering the past year with all the injuries and hospital stays. "I think what we'll all do for our New Year's resolution..."

Violet grinned. "Fine by me. Though we may have to count out stomach aches from eating too much...or something too spicy!" she smirked, looking mischievously over at Jaden.

Jaden smirked, gazing at the table of treats the group had set out. Among the snacks were ham, cheese and chorizo sausage treats called tapas that Rosa had made. She had wisely made extra, knowing that an eating contest was likely. Also among the snacks was the mother of all dreaded holiday treats, the Christmas fruitcake. Surprisingly, Violet had made it, and repeatedly assured her friends not to fall victim to the stereotype.

"Violet... let's throw down," the future King of Games grinned.

"You're on, Jay!" the hyper-active alien fan girl countered.

Alexis groaned, face-palming. "Someone get the Super-Special strength Mylanta..."

"Sy... I think we need to be ready. It may be a long night," Annie sighed as Jaden and Violet took their places with the tapas. "Rosa? How spicy is the chorizo?"

Rosa paused, thinking back in her head. She then put on a sheepish grin and sweat-dropped. "Ah...I think I overdid it... I was going straight off of my mother's recipe..."

"Oh, bloody hell," Bastion groaned softly.

"Do we wish to know?" Professor Bonaparte asked.

"Not particularly, sir... I just hope Annie can hold them together... for Professor Sartyr and Miss Fontaine's sake..."

"Especially since they're habaneros," Rosa muttered, grin turning more sheepish at everyone's stunned looks. "My mother always used habaneros in her holiday recipes..."

About thirty seconds into the eating contest, Jaden's face started to glow red. "Oh... man..."

Violet, too, was starting to sweat a little. "It's winter...so why does it feel like summer in Death Valley in my mouth?!"

"Want to see how much snow we can eat?" Jaden asked suddenly, eyeing the door outside and then glancing at his competitor.

"Way ahead of you, Jay!!" Violet answered, leaping from her seat and making a dash for the door.

Jaden and Violet ran right outside and started shoveling down the fresh white snow. And then another disaster struck, the dreaded brain freeze. "OOOOH!!" Jaden groaned, pupils shrinking.

Half a second later Violet yelped, holding her head in her hands. "OWOWOWOW!!!! BRAIN FREEZE!!!!"

Bastion had come outside and seen Violet turn pale and groan out loud. "Oh, no... not again... Let's get inside, love... and breathe."

"How could...something so...pretty be so...COLD???" Violet whined, heading inside with Bastion as Alexis came out.

She sighed, walking over to Jaden. "Come on, Jay. Let's get inside and help you get over that headache..."

"Urgh... how could I be so... Forget I said that," he groaned again as he staggered inside to the couch where Annie was standing, arms folded over her chest. She had a patient look on her face as she coaxed Violet to take the liquid medicine, and also a slight smile as she remembered her mother's saying, "Those who play must pay."

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Meanwhile, up at Obelisk Blue, Fonda Fontaine sat at a small cafe table in the dining hall, looking like a princess. Tonight, she was dressed in a bright blue off-the-shoulder ball gown and she wore a small tiara. She looked very beautiful and yet very nervous. Then, the sound of wheels rolling across marble flooring was heard as Don Sartyr entered the dining hall. He was wearing a simple black tuxedo, but it was obvious he'd worked hard to make every aspect of it shine. His dark hair had been tamed and combed back, and a red rose sat in his breast pocket. Don was pushing a cart of food he'd made for them, all covered by silver to make the dishes a surprise.

The redheaded woman looked up, smiling. "Oh, my... Don, what did you do?" she asked happily.

He grinned, stopping the cart beside the table and straightening. "It's rare that we get to have dinner like this, so I wanted the meal to be special... There's fresh bread, salad, soup, the main course and, of course, dessert."

"Well, I know that you made it with love... And I couldn't imagine spending Christmas with any other man," she blushed. Over the past two months, Don and Fonda's relationship had become something of an open secret with most of the academy and a well known fact to a select group of seniors and two freshmen, along with the staff. "I just... can't believe this is happening..."

He blushed a little himself, but smiled and took her hand. "I know... It is hard to believe, but it's really happening, Fonda. And I know that I've never been so happy..."

"Me too, Don," she answered, squeezing his hand back. He sat down and together they started with the salad, a simple Caesar, along with freshly baked white rolls.

He was a bit nervous, as he always was when he served her something he'd cooked. Yes, everyone told him he was a wonderful chef. But he always wanted to cook the best for Fonda. "How is it?" he asked when they were about halfway through the salad and rolls.

"It's delicious," she answered, meeting his gray eyes with her own. "You made the dressing yourself?"

"Yes, I usually make what I can from scratch. I don't like using premade food unless I'm short on time," he explained, relieved.

"It's the best I've ever tasted," she answered, reflecting that maybe it was also that he loved her that made it all taste so good.

He blushed a little. "Only the best for you, Fonda..."

"And... for you," she answered, blushing even more. They finished up the first course and moved onto the soup. Fonda's mouth watered at the smell.

"It's a new recipe I tried, to fit the holiday season... Pumpkin chicken chowder, it's called, for a lack of a better name, I think," he said, placing the steaming soup bowls on the table.

Fonda took a spoonful of the soup as soon as Don sat down, blew on it and took a bite. It wasn't too spicy, but it warmed her nicely. "Mmm... this is good," she smiled.

Again, Don was relieved, as he too began to eat the soup. "Good. I was hoping you'd like it..."

"Well... I hope you like my present, later," she said softly, shyly.

He smiled, thinking of his own gift. "I know I'll love anything that you give me, Fonda... I hope you like my gift as well."

The couple finished the chowder, then moved onto Don's golden carrot soufflé, and finished with a Christmas coffee and cheesecake topped with a strawberry glaze. "Oh... I couldn't eat another bite, Don. This is sublime," Fonda murmured blissfully, her stomach pleasantly full.

Don couldn't be happier; everything was working out well so far. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Fonda. I love cooking for you any time."

"Well... may I have this dance?" she asked shyly, getting up on her silver high heels and holding out her hands.

He blushed a bit in surprise, but smiled and nodded as he stood. "But of course," Don answered, taking her hands as they walked onto a cleared area of the dining hall.

And so they began to dance to unheard music, waltzing lightly. "This is such a wonderful night," she murmured in his ear. "I wish it wouldn't end."

"All good things must come to an end," he murmured back. "But then even better things can come after them."

She nodded against him. "I know..." They spun around the floor a bit longer and then sat down for a glass of cool punch that Don had made.

"So then...we've had dinner, danced, and even had punch. Is there anything we're missing?" he asked good-naturedly.

"Uh... I guess... our gifts," Fonda answered nervously.

Don, too, was suddenly nervous. "Oh, yes...of course. Would you...like to go first, then? Or should I?"

Fonda had set a box under the Obelisk Christmas tree which was decorated with silver and blue balls, ornaments and tinsel. She got the present and held it out to him. "I hope you like this..."

Don took the medium-sized box, expression one of curiosity and anticipation. What could she have gotten for him? He found out when he opened the box, pulling back the tissue paper. It was a golden yellow sweater knitted out of a soft yarn. "I hope it fits," she said, a trifle nervously. "I made it so you could fit it under your blazer."

Don could feel how soft the material was as he pulled the clothing out of the box, and a tender smile crossed his lips. "It looks wonderful, Fonda. And it's so soft...I'll bet it's very snug and warm. I can't wait to wear it."

Fonda blushed. "I'm so glad..."

"I hope you like my present," Don said nervously, pulling out the only other box under the tree.

It was a small box, but whatever it was, Fonda knew she'd love it. She took the small box from him and opened it. "Oh, my! Don, it's lovely!" Inside was a twenty-four karat gold bracelet, sitting on a red velvet cushion. It sparkled in the light of the dining hall, and Don's heart swelled with happiness. He had saved for 2 months to get her the bracelet, having just enough in time for Christmas.

"You really like it?" Fonda chose not to answer him in words, pulling him to her and kissing him on the mouth, hard. Don blushed, surprised, but soon returned the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. Fonda knew jewelry was a serious thing for a man to give a woman and she knew that feeling that she was getting.

'This... is real love... this is... right,' she thought.

Don felt his heart flutter in his chest, hope running through his mind. 'Maybe...this is... real love?' he wondered. The kiss went on for a long moment. Time seemed to stop for the couple, but then they had to break for air. Fonda had never felt this way. Sure she'd had a boyfriend or two, but it hadn't been like this. Don took in deep breaths, entirely unused to this feeling and the sensation the kiss had brought on. He himself had never had a date, unless you counted that one time he and a girl went to the dance together so that neither would be all alone.

"Don," Fonda murmured, "that was the best kiss I have ever had..."

Don blushed and glanced away. "That was the...first kiss I've ever had," he admitted, embarrassed.

"You... didn't show it," she said softly, flushed from the kiss. Her first kiss had been a very clumsy affair, and the guy had never kissed a girl before. She might've forgiven it if he hadn't gotten... grabby as he kissed her.

"I...guess it was beginner's luck?" he offered, grinning sheepishly.

"Whatever it was... where do we go from here?" she asked.

"I...I don't know. I've never gotten this far before....have you?" he answered with a question.

She shook her head. "Not to the point a guy gives me jewelry. And I know... that's serious..." She held his gaze, not entirely sure what to do now.

"Well....where do you see this going?" he asked after a few long moments.

Fonda took a deep breath. "Is it too soon to think about... a future together?"

Don went a deep shade of red. "I...I'm not sure... Is that...what you're thinking?"

She nodded, also red. "I know... we've only been actually seeing each other for a couple of months... but... you seem right..."

"So do you....even though...you're my first..."

Fonda went even redder at the likely-unintended double meaning. "You'd... be mine..."

Don blinked, of course not understanding. "Er...yours?"

"My... f-first," she explained, knowing for sure now that he hadn't intended the double entendre.

His face went as red as humanly possible as he understood, and his words came out in a distinct stutter. "O-Oh...I see...a-as in _that_ way..." She nodded, very nervous now, and feeling the blood rushing through her body. He swallowed, unsure of what to say. He'd never felt remotely this way for any woman, and the topic had never presented itself to him.

"W-well... uh... We can... cross that bridge when we come to it," she managed to say. 'OH NO! I said when! Great going, Fonda!' her brain screamed at her.

His face would have become redder had it not already been as red as it could get. He had indeed caught that single word, but tried to get over it. "Er...yes...good thinking, Fonda..." The couple sat awkwardly for a moment and then finally stood. "Well then... Would you like me to walk you back?" Don asked, rubbing the back of his neck a bit sheepishly. She nodded, shyly.

The couple headed back to Fonda's room and neither wanted the evening to end. "This was a wonderful night," she said, holding his hand. She didn't want to let go.

Don felt it too, as if their hands were glued together. "It was..."

"We... should probably call it a night," she murmured, her body language indicating that this was NOT what she wanted to do. Her lips were parted in such a way that it looked as if she wanted to be kissed. He swallowed tightly, feeling so attracted to her at the moment. He could practically feel the magnetism pulling them closer, both bodies begging to keep going. Fonda moved closer as well, her lips finally touching his. It felt so good. Don gladly returned the kiss, pulling her to him as it deepened. And then, just as Fonda was hazily thinking about opening the door and getting Don in her room, they heard someone singing. "We are family... Come with all my sisters and me..."

Dr. Vellian Crowler was about to break up the evening... accidentally. He had received a box of chocolates from his Aunt Giada in Italy, not knowing that they had strong liquor in them and had eaten them all after the gang had their party. He was now rather drunk and trying to make his way back to his room. Fonda broke away, eyes wide at the bad warbling off-key. "Don... is that... Vellian?!"

Don blinked a few times, his own eyes just as wide. "I...I believe it is. But...what on Earth??"

Vellian Crowler came staggering down the hall, and seemed to notice the couple. "Merry Chrishmas... Buone Natale... Don... Fonda... Am I in the right dorm?" he asked, sounding very, very puzzled.

Don exchanged glances with Fonda. "Vellian......are you drunk?"

Vellian blinked and pointed a long, bony finger at Don. "No... For your information, Don Giovanni... I had my Aunt Giada's chocolate!" he slurred, slightly insulted.

"Vellian... did this chocolate have... flavoring?" Fonda asked, smelling liquor on his breath.

"Yes...raspberry," the Obelisk boys' headmaster responded, sounding delighted and smiling in a dopey way.

"Oh, dear... Fonda, I do believe they were liquor-flavored chocolates... He must have eaten them all to get this...er, tipsy," Don whispered, frowning.

And then, as if to prove the Ra teacher's point, Vellian fell to the ground and passed out. "Oh, dear," the nurse groaned, kneeling. "He is royally schnookered..."

"Uh...'schnookered?'" Don asked, blinking.

"Hammered or just plain drunk," she explained, rolling the prone instructor onto his side. "I need to change before we move him, Don... I can't lift him like this." Her gown and shoes, while very pretty, were cumbersome, and since this wasn't a life-threatening situation, she could take the time to change.

"Go ahead, Fonda. I'll stay out here with him in case he wakes up," he replied, kneeling down beside his unconscious colleague.

Fonda ran into the room and changed quickly, getting her gym uniform on over her strapless pink bra and panties and exchanging her high heels for sneakers. She ran back out to the hall and checked Vellian's pulse again. "He's going to have such a hangover in the morning," she muttered. "But it wasn't his fault..."

Don sighed and stood. "No, it wasn't. Should we call for help to carry him?"

"I think we can carry him back to his room," Fonda decided. Together, they lifted the unconscious teacher and carried him back to his room and got him into bed. "I'll keep watch on him tonight, just to be sure he's okay," the nurse stated, sitting down on a chair.

"Are you sure you don't want some help? You shouldn't stay up all night... I could stay, and we could work in shifts," Don offered. Part of him just didn't want to leave her, and part of him really didn't want her to push herself. After all, she was the only nurse on the island.

She considered it and nodded. "You know... that makes sense... And if he needs help... you are a guy."

Don chuckled, pulling over a chair and sitting down as well. "Then I guess I have no choice but to stay," he replied, not that he cared.

"You don't want to stay in your tux all night, do you?" she asked, realizing how uncomfortable that outfit must be.

He blinked and looked down, only just remembering what he was wearing. "Oh, right. I should be fine if I just remove the coat and shoes," the Ra headmaster answered as he began unbuttoning the tuxedo jacket.

"There aren't any Ras on campus except for Bastion, Tyson and Marcel, are there?" she asked.

He shook his head as he slipped off the constricting black jacket, surprised when the red rose fell to the floor. "Oh, Fonda, I almost forgot..." Don reached down and picked up the rose, turning to her. "You already looked so beautiful, I thought only a rose could complement you any further," he explained, slipping it behind her ear. He had made sure to purchase a thornless rose, of course.

Fonda blushed at his touch and then breathed in the scent of the red rose. "I love roses," she murmured, thinking of a John Milton quote. "And... this is a rose without thorn."

Don again smiled, taking her hand. "I'm glad...I wasn't sure if you liked them or not. But I did know I should play it safe and get one without thorns. I'm happy that I did."

"Maybe I should see if one of the boys is willing to run up your pajamas," Fonda mused. "You should be comfortable, Don..." She flushed slightly, her imagination picturing how good he must look in pajamas.

"I'm fine, Fonda. Let them enjoy the night with each other," Don soothed, pulling off his polished shoes and unbuttoning the cuffs of his white dress shirt.

She took the cufflinks he'd been wearing and laid them on the nightstand. And in a moment, the couple was sitting in comfortable chairs next to Vellian Crowler's bed. And then... "Oh, Pat! You're so wonderful! May I have this dance?" Vellian murmured in his sleep. "...Yes... kiss me..."

Fonda's face drained. "Pat?" she wondered.

Don blinked and stared at his drunken fellow teacher. "Er..."

Thankfully, the smashed teacher fell into a deep sleep after that. "That... was so... awkward," Fonda groaned. "And... who's Pat?"

Don sighed and rubbed his forehead with a hand. "I don't know..."

"Well, I'm glad if he has someone," Fonda murmured, "but... this isn't how I wanted to find out... On New Year's Eve...let's make sure he stays out of the champagne..."

"Good idea. We'll certainly have to watch him around the holidays..." And so Fonda and Don watched Vellian all night.

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When the Obelisk headmaster awoke, he groaned, "Oh... what happened?" The poor man had a splitting headache and his stomach felt terrible.

It was Don's shift, and he suppressed a yawn as he moved to check his colleague. Fonda was dozing by his side. "You mean you don't remember, Vellian?"

"I... remember eating chocolate," the blonde teacher admitted, "but not much else..."

"Well, it seems those chocolates you enjoyed were liquor-flavored, Vellian," Don explained, sweat-dropping and running a hand through his dark hair.

Vellian flushed. "Oh, no... Aunt Giada said they were raspberry-flavored chocolates, but I didn't look closely enough at the packaging. They must have had raspberry liquor in them... Did I make an ass of myself last night, Don?"

"Well...er..." Don put on a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh, no... I did... did I ruin things for you and... Fonda? She's here..."

"No, no, of course not. I was just seeing her to her room when you...stumbled upon us."

Vellian sat up slowly, his head pounding. "I am so sorry... And you had to deal with me all night..." He had a feeling he had been royally soused.

"It's all right, Vellian. Fonda and I were glad to help a friend." The Ra instructor decided not to mention what the teacher had muttered in his drunken sleep.

"Thank you, Don," the Obelisk headmaster smiled gratefully.

Fonda chose this moment to wake up. "Mmmm... huh? Oh, it's morning... Oh, good, Vellian, you're awake... We were worried about you," she said, moving to check his eyes and pulse. "I thought you might've had way too much last night..."

"I'm all right, Fonda... just a bit of a headache and stomach upset..."

"You're lucky it's not worse. We thought for sure it would be a horrible hangover after all that liquor you consumed," Don stated.

"I... have a pretty high tolerance. I was in a fraternity in college," Vellian admitted, grinning sheepishly.

"A frat house?" Fonda asked, stunned. The image of Vellian Crowler in an Animal House-type fraternity was unnerving.

"Really? Which fraternity?" the tuxedo-clad instructor asked.

"I was in Zeta Beta Tau at USC. How about you?" the blonde teacher explained and queried.

Don blinked in surprise. "Zeta Beta Tau at CIA Greystone..."

"Did you have toga parties?" Vellian asked excitedly.

The other man blushed a little. "Yes...quite a few times."

Fonda couldn't help but snicker. "Excuse me, please," she said, standing up and abruptly leaving the room.

Don was definitely red in the face. "She wasn't supposed to know about that..."

Vellian sighed, and responded, "Well, people know that frat houses have toga parties..."

"I never was one for the parties..."

"Well, I did a couple of times," Vellian admitted.

"I did once...never again," Don admitted as well, grimacing.

"Me neither," Vellian agreed. The two men continued to talk about their college days, while Fonda Fontaine laughed until she cried some distance down the hall.

_So the holidays have happened without anyone dying, getting seriously ill or aliens invading. Just Doctor Crowler a little tipsy and dreaming about someone named Pat (we left the gender up to your imaginations, people), and Jaden and Violet getting sick tummies. Next time… Please join us for "Sunset." So until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	20. Sunset

Chapter XX: Sunset

_Hello again, dear readers. Welcome back to another chapter of __**Darkness Falls**__. Peach managed to get the editing done quicker thanks to a more relaxed schedule. Thanks again, everyone for your reviews and we hope those of you who have gone on vacation are having a wonderful time and we hope to see you soon! As for those of you who are hanging around, glad to see you back! For those of you who are wondering, yes, Kisara and Seto will be done after this pregnancy. Furthermore, Vellian Crowler may have joined a frat house, but he couldn't chug-a-lug that well. Anyway, on with the story!_

_Last time, the group celebrated the holidays together, finding out that Kisara was pregnant… again. And they had fun celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Meanwhile, Professor Sartyr and Miss Fontaine had a romantic dinner for two which ended when Dr. Crowler got hammered on Italian raspberry liquor-filled chocolates. So once the holidays are over, what will happen? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise and its related characters. We just own our OCs, our storylines and our version of the Yugi-verse._

_Authors' note: There is a slight time jump here. By the time of Annie's nightmare, it's sometime in April, as the DA school year ends in May. Thanks for your attention._

The rest of the holidays were uneventful. The other students returned from their vacations, eager to get the spring semester out of the way. Jaden had a new spring in his step and his entire cadre was in a state of excitement. "Just a few more months... and then we're going to get married!" Annie said, gripping Sy's hand one afternoon as they walked out of the academy's main building.

Syrus felt his heart flutter in his chest. "I know. I'm nervous and excited at the same time..."

"So am I," she murmured, also feeling that flutter in her chest. "College... the Pros... starting a family... Oh, wow..."

"Even with all that's happened... It seems like these three years have gone by so fast..."

"Yeah. I remember the first time I saw you," she said. "I asked Alexis who you were..."

"The first time I saw you was in class, but I really noticed you when you came to Slifer that night..." He blushed a bit at the memory of her, looking nervous as she emerged from the shadows. She had been clad in a set of lavender capri pajamas, which had not obscured her soft curves.

"Yeah... We were both in our pajamas," Annie remembered, also blushing and remembering how handsome he'd looked in his school issue pajamas.

"Oh yeah...we were... I forgot about that."

"Yeah. We've... come a long way since then," she murmured.

"So much as happened..."

"And... we've become stronger. You wouldn't have done what we've been doing," she sighed with a smile. "Dating... moving in together..."

"A-Among...other things," he muttered, blushing thickly.

Annie's blush increased, remembering last night. "Y-yeah..." They had gotten a bit physical with each other last night, but had just avoided going too far.

"When we're married...we won't have to worry as much, will we?" Syrus asked, looking up at her.

"No... we won't... I mean, we won't have it easy, but people make it. We're exceptions to the rule about teenagers getting married..." Annie had read all the data. "I mean... a lot of people our age who get married aren't always ready... But I think we are ready... I mean... we've had so much counseling... We've been through so much together... We love each other and were willing to wait if it came to that."

"You're right... We definitely haven't had the life most people our age have..."

"Yeah..." Though Annie couldn't quite figure how to word it, she knew their whole group had matured beyond most of their classmates. They had grown in saving the world, and in helping each other. And the couples had grown in loving each other. They had not broken with each other even in the worst of times, and that said volumes.

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The weeks flew by and the group kept planning. "Okay, so we have everything figured... OH CRAP!" Jaden shouted one evening as the four couples sat making final preparations. In all of the group's careful planning, a minor detail had been missed.

Alexis blinked and looked over at her fiancé in shock. "What??"

"We don't have a ring bearer, Lex!"

Her eyes widened. "You're right! But who could we ask to be our ring bearer?!"

"Well... How about Pharaoh?"

"Pharaoh?"

"Yeah. I mean we have Shirley as a flower girl," he answered, looking out the window to see Jim playing with the large amphibian.

"Well, you do have a point there... I guess having a cat for a ring bearer couldn't hurt. But...wouldn't we technically have two?" She whispered the last part, referring to Professor Banner.

"Well... Hmm... that's a hard one," Jaden said, scratching his head.

"What's hard, Jaden?" Bastion asked, catching the Slifer's comment. And so, Jaden took a breath and explained the situation.

"So...what you're saying is...Banner's a ghost...living inside of Pharaoh??" Violet asked slowly, everyone staring at the Slifer in obvious shock.

"Jaden... that is... extraordinary," Bastion added, flabbergasted. "When did this start?"

"Like I said... after... he died," Jaden explained again. "At least... after his homonunclus did..."

As if on cue, a meow was heard, and up on the rafters above laid Pharaoh. "Uh...Professor...?" Syrus asked, everyone staring up at the feline.

Pharaoh jumped down from his perch and waddled over to Jaden. "Meow," the cat said, looking up at the young man with the expression that said either, "I can help," or "give me cat food."

"What is it, Pharaoh? Can Professor Banner talk to us?" Jaden asked.

Pharaoh scratched at an ear for a moment, then seemed to almost shrug as he opened his mouth. Out floated a small, golden ball of light, and it flew about the room. "I can always talk to you, Jaden," echoed Banner's voice.

"SAM HILL!" Tyson shouted, jumping into Rosa's arms.

"La phantasma!" Rosa gasped, jumping to her feet in shock. Not the best of ideas since her fiancé leapt into her arms half a second later. She grunted, eyes widening as her legs shook. Yes, Rosa was strong, but not THAT strong. "Ty-Ty...you are...too...heavy!" she yelped, before falling to the ground.

Tyson, of course, landed on top of his fiancée. "Sorry, Spanish Rose," he said, scrambling to get off of her. He helped her to her feet and they sat down on the couch.

Bastion, meanwhile, yelped, "OH BLOODY HELL! I mean... sorry, sir..."

Violet flailed in her seat, her excited grin nearly splitting her face. "OH, WOW!! A real ghost! This is so COOL!!"

The orb came to a halt in the center of the room, and the spiritual form of Banner appeared. "It's quite all right, Bastion. I'm not surprised by your reactions...it's only normal, after all."

"Yes, sir... It's been... nearly two years since... Those of us in the Spirit Key group and those in our inner circle were sworn to secrecy regarding what happened to you," the British Ra explained.

"Yes, I know. I've been here since that happened, and I've seen everything that's occurred," Banner replied.

"Jaden didn't tell us," Annie managed to say, her eyes wide as saucers, "that you'd turned into Obi-wan Kenobi, sir... We are glad to see you."

The professor chuckled. "I suppose that is one way to put it, Annie. It's nice to see all of you again as well, especially for such a joyous reason."

"So... can Pharaoh be our ring bearer?" Jaden asked eagerly.

"Of course. If it's all right with him, then I certainly don't mind. How about it, Pharaoh?" The cat looked up at his deceased master, as if considering the question. Then, he gave a short meow and seemed to nod his large, fuzzy head.

"All right! Too bad our monsters can't all be solid or something," the Slifer boy said wistfully.

"Sarge?" Tyson asked.

"Well, they're like family, too...They should be at the wedding!"

"Well, maybe they will be. They just won't be seen..." Alexis offered.

Professor Banner nodded, smiling. "Alexis is right, Jaden. More often than not, they are around. Simply unseen." Everyone else smiled at that and they continued with their work.

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It seemed like the premonitions of earlier in the year had just been bad dreams. The group dared to relax and continued to make their plans. But just a little over a month before the wedding was scheduled, Annie woke up screaming. "NOOOOOOOO!!!!" Her eyes were terrified, her skin was sweaty and pale and her heart was pounding.

Syrus shot up beside her, shocked out of sleep and his own eyes wide. "Annie?!" He turned to her, pulling her shaking body to him. "Annie, what's wrong??"

She hugged Syrus, wordlessly, trying to get her bearings. After a long moment, she took a deep breath. "I... had... a horrible dream... And it was too real..."

He frowned, reaching over to grab his glasses from the bedside table. Putting them on, he looked down to meet her eyes. "You mean a....a premonition?"

Still shaking badly, she nodded. "Y-Yeah... I hope I'm wrong..."

"Just calm down, Annie... You can explain later..." he soothed, rubbing her back.

It took a few minutes for the young woman to get her head back together. And then she recounted her nightmare. "I was wandering... no... running through the school and I could feel this dark presence... I've felt it in some ways for months... But it was stronger..."

_In the nightmare, she ran through the school, seemingly deserted, Usagi at her side. "MOON SCEPTER ELIMINATION!" the monster girl shouted, launching an attack using a bright pink scepter to shoot at the dark figure running after them._

_The figure dodged, but even where the attack still managed to hit, it barely did any damage. What it had blown away reformed in seconds, and the creature raised one of its thin, bony hands. "Be consumed by the Darkness," it hissed out, sending a burst of shadows at the duelist and spirit._

_Usagi shoved Annie out of the way and was hit by the darkness, disappearing with an anguished scream and a shower of sparkles. "USAGI!" the young woman shrieked. "Where are my friends? What do you want?" she yelped at the figure that looked like Death itself._

_"Your friends have already succumbed to Darkness. Now you will join them in the World of Darkness and give in to it as well..." he explained in a craggy voice, raising the hand for another attack._

_"NO!" Annie shouted, breaking into a run..._ "And that's when I woke up," she finished in reality.

Syrus shivered, feeling chills run through his body. "Why does that sound familiar?"

"Sy," Annie moaned, "It can't happen... not now..."

She shivered hard in his grip. "We... should be past the danger..."

Syrus kept a tight grip on her, sighing. "I know...it should be over... Maybe we shouldn't have relaxed like we did..." The premonitions from earlier in the year suddenly came back to him.

She shook her head. "No... We could've been wrong... We still could be..." She then kissed him slowly. He returned it, knowing this would help her calm down and get her mind off of the nightmare. He was glad to help her any way he could. Annie strengthened the kiss, wanting to lose herself in the blissful oblivion of her love's embrace. Syrus didn't deny her of that want, deepening the kiss and making it more passionate. Annie let him and soon their tongues were swirling. 'I don't want this to stop,' she thought, running her hands up and down his pajama top.

Luckily, Syrus was paying attention to what was going on. He kept up the kiss, but couldn't get lost in the passion like he usually would. Annie's nightmare was weighing too heavily on his mind.

She felt the hesitation and withdrew. "You...okay?" she asked when they broke for air.

He sighed between breaths. "Y-Yeah... I'm sorry, Annie... I'm just...worried..."

"It's... all right," she panted back. She brushed his hair with her hand a little bit. "We have to figure this out... I think... maybe it was a warning. A worst-case scenario..."

"Worst-case... Maybe we can stop it from happening," he muttered, hope filling his voice.

"Yeah," Annie smiled. "And... Jaden's a lot better. And we're going to fight together..."

"You're right... We just need to tell the others in the morning. Then we can prepare for...whatever it is that's coming..."

"Yeah... let's try to get back to sleep, honey... It's two in the morning," she murmured.

He sweat-dropped. "Good idea..." Syrus set his glasses back onto the bedside table, and the two slipped down under the covers together.

Annie curled around Sy's form in spoon-fashion, her head resting on his shoulder. "G'night, honey..."

"Good night, Annie..."

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At 6 AM, Annie rolled over and slapped off the alarm when it went off. And she and Syrus promptly fell back to sleep.

An hour later, the couple was still fast asleep. But now it was the time when Violet and Bastion would wake up, and the purple-headed teen did something usual. She slid out of bed and hit the carpeted floor with a solid thud.

In the other room, Annie somehow heard the thud in her sleep. "Ummm..."

Syrus mumbled something, pulling Annie closer to him and drifting back into sub consciousness. In the other room, Violet groaned. "Bastion-baby? Time to get up...ow..."

Bastion sat up. "Good morning, darling. Did you sleep well?" he asked.

Violet raised a thumbs-up over the edge of the bed. "Yep. And then I woke up." She answered, jumping to her feet and stretching out.

"Well... hmm... we should be hearing Annie's music from her exercise routine..."

"Oh yeah... I knew something felt weird. I'll go check it out!" Violet stated eagerly, dashing from the bedroom. She got to the other room in no time flat, and blinked in surprise when she saw the couple fast asleep. "Ooooh...this is new. Hey, guys! Wakey wakey, eggs and bacy!" Violet cheered, flipping on the lights.

Annie groaned softly. "Violet, it's..." And then she looked at the clock. "AAAAAAAH!!!!"

If Syrus hadn't been awake from Violet's exclamation, he was definitely awake now. "Annie!! What's wrong?!" he yelped, sitting up. Violet stifled her snickers, unable to help herself.

"It's 7:05! We're late!" Annie yelped.

"Uh, technically, you just woke up late..." Violet pointed out, blinking.

Syrus quickly put on his glasses. "Oh, man...but we can't get ready as fast as you, Violet!"

"We can try!" Annie exclaimed, jumping out of bed.

"Violet... love, I think we need to get our breakfast," Bastion suggested, stepping away from Annie and Sy's room.

"Good idea! Be ready in five minutes!" Violet replied, dashing back to their bedroom. Syrus, meanwhile, joined Annie in a double time of their morning routine.

"Let's jump in the shower together; I can exercise later!" Annie said, pulling her pajamas off. Syrus nodded, also tearing off his pajamas. And so they jumped in the shower, scrubbed off and quickly ran out. "Where are my boots?" Annie yelped, looking for them as she pulled on her bra and panties.

"Did you check under the bed?" Syrus replied, pulling on a pair of boxers and then pants.

She looked. Sure enough... "Honey, you know me way too well." She grabbed socks and then pulled on her boots too. Then she got on her undershorts, skirt and top and was ready. He had pulled on a shirt, his blazer, and socks, but was having trouble getting on his shoes. He hopped back and forth, struggling to get them on. "Sy..." Annie had noticed the problem. She gently moved over to him and switched his shoes around.

Syrus blushed, sweat-dropping. "O-Oh...uh...thanks, Annie. I guess I was in too much of a rush..."

"It's all right. Let's get something to eat..." They headed out to the kitchenette to grab a quick breakfast.

Even with the late start, the gang all made it to class on time. "Sy... you guys okay?" Jaden asked softly in homeroom. "You both look tired."

"We...had a rough night, Jay..." Syrus whispered, frowning.

Jaden took a breath, meeting Sy's eyes. "What happened, bro? Nightmare?" he asked, really hoping it wasn't what he feared it was. But his hopes were dashed with his best friend's next words.

Syrus's gaze turned to the floor, hating to be the bearer of bad news. "Yeah... And we think it might be one of Annie's real ones...the ones that are like premonitions..."

Jaden thought it through. 'Running out of class isn't an option right now, unless one of us gets hurt or something... What if this is a bad sign?' And then, without thinking about it, the brown-haired Slifer shouted upward to the Powers that Be, "CAN'T I HAVE ONE NORMAL SEMESTER?! IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!!!"

Syrus yelped in shock, falling out of his chair. All of the students turned their attention to the Slifer, especially the rest of the gang. It didn't help that the room had dropped to a dead silence, since Dr. Crowler had just entered.

"Jaden, is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?" the Obelisk boys' head asked, fixing his adversary/ secretly favorite student with a steely gaze.

The Slifer sweat-dropped and grinned sheepishly. "Uh... no sir... not right now..." A few of the students snickered, unable to help it, but everyone in Jaden's cadre looked worried.

"Do I have to ask what happened?" Bastion muttered softly, being in close proximity to Annie.

She couldn't hide that she clearly was feeling tired and whispered back, "We'll talk as soon as we can..." Violet and Alexis, who sat on either side of the brunette girl, exchanged worried glances. Violet wondered if whatever had happened was the reason that the couple had still been sleeping by the time she woke up. Nevertheless, the gang was forced to sit through class and hold their questions about what was going on.

After class, the large group of teens met up and of course wanted details. "So... what happened, Private?" Tyson asked, eyes concerned as he glanced at Sy.

"Well, Annie had a nightmare last night. And it was one of her premonitions, we think," Syrus began, frowning deeply and fidgeting a little.

"So what happened in the dream?" Bastion asked. Syrus told the guys what Annie had told him, making sure to include everything he could remember. If the nightmare was a premonition, he knew that everyone needed to know.

Chazz groaned softly. "Now, I understand why you yelled, Slacker... If this is what we're facing, then... not good," he finished, lamely.

Mindy groaned as well. "So much for looking forward to the wedding..."

"It's still going to happen, Mindy," Jasmine answered, a fierce look in her eyes.

"Yeah, if we can avoid or defeat whatever this thing is beforehand," Atticus said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Annie was extremely quiet. Usually what instructors refer to as a "helium hand," her hand had not gone up once in the lesson. She was also very pale now. "Annie? C'mon and talk," Axel tried, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah... whatever this is, we can stop it," Adrian added gently, thinking if this was Echo, he'd want her to feel better.

Syrus had been holding Annie's hand since they'd left the classroom, and he gave it a light squeeze of reassurance. "Annie... We're going to get through this. We always have before," Violet tried, worried for her friend.

"It was just... so dark," she groaned softly, remembering the terror of the dream. "I couldn't see light..."

"Well...maybe it was night during your dream," Alexis offered.

"It... it was darker than that..."

"Annie... we can stop this," Jaden asserted, his eyes as serious as they had ever been. "And we're all going to march down that aisle, somehow! And I want to get to the Pro Leagues!"

"Jay's right. You're not gonna let some ol' skeleton stop ya'll from reachin' your goals, are ya?" Jesse piped up in his Southern drawl. Annie was silent and shivering but managed to shake her head with a little smile.

"Uh... no?" Jaden asked, sweat-dropping. "What'd he say?"

"Translated, that means are you going to let some bad thing stop you?" Bastion explained.

"Oh! Then, no way!"

Jesse blinked and pointed at himself. "Am I really that hard to understand?"

"Nah, Slacker's just an idiot," Chazz stated, which wasn't the brightest of ideas...

Alexis promptly smacked her brother upside the head, sending him a warning look. "Chazz..."

"Well, he isn't that smart, sis! And that's why we lo-- Like him!" Chazz might've come a long way in the past year, but he was still Chazz. And he wasn't about to say that he loved Jaden.

Atticus snickered. "What was that, bro? It sounded like you were going to say something else for a second there," he teased, nudging the younger boy.

"Shut up, big bro," the pale Rhodes grumbled, unable to hide a light, embarrassed blush.

"It's okay, Chazz. I know how you feel," Jaden grinned, slapping the other Slifer on the back.

"Oh, shut up..."

_So the gang is now on alert. The nightmares are back in a different form, and they all know something may be about to happen. Next time, a figure from Atticus's past makes an appearance and it's not what anyone expects. So join us for __**Penumbra**__. Thank you, and until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	21. Penumbra

Chapter XXI: Penumbra

_Hello again, fans of __**Darkness Falls!**__ We hope those of you who have been on vacation have enjoyed yourselves and were safe! And for those of you who are still on vacation, we hope you're having fun. Now before we begin the chapter, we have some notes to make about our universe. _

_First, there have been some questions about Jaden Yuki's past in this timeline and we're glad to oblige. This will differ from canon on the grounds that despite the great advances in medical science, the human brain remains unmapped, making erasure of bad memories a dubious proposition at best. Furthermore, there is a medication that can possibly weaken a person's memory of a traumatic event, but not erase it._

_Anyway, when Jaden was six years old, he got the Yubel card. And as you all know, she gave him trouble. He was afraid of what she'd do, but he still cared about her, so he sent her up into space hoping it would help her like being sent into space would help the Neo-Spacian cards get stronger. But of course, he began having horrible nightmares of Yubel screaming in pain._

_Nearly 7-year-old Jaden was taken to Domino Children's Hospital where he was treated for the nightmares and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. As a result of those treatments, he lost his ability to talk with duel spirits. He didn't forget Yubel, but he did lose contact with her. He was teased mercilessly by the students of Domino's Todd Beamer Elementary School and ostracized, something that followed him through junior high school. _

_When the opportunity to go to Duel Academy Central came up, Jaden decided he could make a fresh start. He didn't tell his new friends about Yubel, worried that they'd think him weird, though when his ability to speak to duel spirits returned, he gladly told his friends about that. It wasn't until the events of "Summer Love, Summer Fears" in our version of the Yugi-verse that Jaden felt he could tell his friends about the duel spirit he'd been close friends with and who had gone too far in trying to protect him._

_Secondly, we now have to mention about how this new chapter will mark a deviation from canon in regard to the undubbed Season 4. Yusuke Fujiwara is not forgotten by everyone in this tale, but the spell he cast blocked Atticus's memory of the events in the abandoned dorm. Yusuke became one of many to disappear in the dorm, and when Atticus returned, he could tell no one of what happened. And that is where our changes to canon begin. Thank you for your attention. And onto the story…_

_Last time, the engaged couples discussed their wedding plans and it was decided that Pharaoh would be Jaden and Alexis's ring bearer, as Shirley the crocodile was a flower girl. The gang seemed hopeful that their nightmares had not been warnings but in the night, Annie woke up from a horrible nightmare that seemed more like a premonition. Jaden, when informed of this, bemoaned that he wouldn't get through his senior year without something bad happening. So what will happen now? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: Please see the previous disclaimers. We'll just be repeating ourselves.**_

_Authors' reminder: We are deviating from canon in regard to Yusuke and Honest here. We figured the duel spirits would've figured out the truth of Honest's identity. Furthermore, we have given the abandoned dorm a name, Horakhty, after the merged form of the Egyptian god monsters. _

The entire group was now confident that whatever this enemy was, they could meet it and beat it. They all seemed to think that this enemy was something called Darkness, and they wondered how it would reveal itself. But later that evening, a mysterious figure appeared on the Duel Academy grounds. A boy dressed in the elite Obelisk uniforms, formerly the uniforms of the Horakhty dorm, with sad periwinkle blue eyes and blonde hair that looked green tinged, as if it had been exposed to chlorine, stared out at where he'd found himself.

Atticus was running down the path, surfboard under his arm and backpack hanging off of his shoulder. He'd gone out for a late surfing session, and had lost track of time. Now, he was running to get back to the dorm before he'd end up being locked out, wondering if he maybe shouldn't have bothered getting dressed back into his uniform. And the young man in the uniform decided to take a risk. "Atticus?" he called out, knowing it was now or never.

The dark-haired young man slid to a halt, blinking a few times in surprise. He thought for sure that he'd been the only person out this late. "Uh...who's there?" Atticus called out, a bit nervously, looking around the surrounding woods.

The blonde teen stepped out from the shadows. "It's me, Atticus... Yusuke. Don't you remember?"

"Yusuke...?" Atticus muttered, frowning. Again, snippets of memory slammed before him, but left before they could fully register. However, even if he didn't recognize the stranger, he somehow knew him. "I... It's all a blur..."

The blue eyes shone eagerly. 'He does remember, but barely. I can help...' Out loud, he asked, "What's the last thing you remember?"

Atticus closed his eyes, trying to think. "I...I remember...blood. And...darkness... A mask, maybe..."

"Yusuke" moved a little closer. "It'll come back to you in time. In the meantime... you look different..."

Atticus opened his eyes in surprise. "I do??"

"Yeah," the boy answered. "I can't tell... but you seem different to me..."

Atty gave himself a once over. "I...don't feel any different. I mean...different from when?"

"When we knew each other... In the Horakhty dorm..."

"The Horakhty dorm??" More memories of a sparkling white building and symbols on walls appeared, causing Atticus to stumble back. He lifted a hand to his head, feeling a headache coming on.

"Atticus?" 'Yusuke' asked, moving forward to assist the nearly 20-year-old.

But when the other teen came closer, Atticus's headache only throbbed harder. Closing his eyes tightly in pain, he fell back to lean against a tree for support. "Agh...I c-can't..." Even though "Yusuke" was only trying to help, his close proximity only led to Atticus finally passing out on the forest floor. The memories flooding his subconscious and the pain of said memories had overpowered him, so his body had simply shut down in response.

"ATTICUS!!!" The teen boy beside him suddenly vanished to reveal an angel dressed in a blue gown. His hair was blonder than the teen boy that had been standing had, and was a great deal longer. His eyes were the same shade of blue however. 'What do I do now?' he wondered.

Suddenly, a few of Atticus's duel spirits appeared, surrounding their unconscious friend. They included a very grumpy Panther Warrior, some worried Scapegoats, and a Red-Eyes Black Chick. "Oh, man! It's never good when Atty passes out like this!" muttered a red Scapegoat.

"Yeah, but it had something to do with this guy! What did you do to him?!" Panther Warrior growled; he'd always had a very short temper and been protective of Atticus. Even if there was that one embarrassing event with the cape...

"Yusuke," now a winged angel, looked at the monsters with sad eyes. "I only wish to help you and him... Please let me."

Red Eyes Black Chick, essentially a Red Eyes Black Dragon in chibi form, squeaked, "You hurt Atticus somehow!"

"Chick's right! Why should we trust you?!" Panther Warrior snarled, sword in hand—um, paw.

The Scapegoats muttered amongst themselves, unsure whether to trust the angel or not. "Well...he IS an angel... Aren't they supposed to be helpful?" piped up a blue Scapegoat.

The yellow Scapegoat looked thoughtful. "Well, wasn't the Devil an angel before he turned to evil?"

The pink Scapegoat nodded in agreement. "Yeah... but that doesn't mean he's the same..."

"Well...I can help him... and I know what he meant... to my master," the angelic figure murmured.

"And just who is your master?" Panther Warrior asked for the others, still strongly against trusting this spirit.

"His name was Yusuke Fujiwara," the angel sighed. "But he is gone from this world..."

"Yusuke?! That's impossible! How can you be here when he's...well..." Panther Warrior looked away; they all knew what had happened to Yusuke, since Atticus knew in his subconscious what had actually occurred.

"I don't know why I'm here.... I know my master died...and yet... I feel his presence," the angel creature explained. "You would know me as.... Honest..."

"Honest! I remember you from when Yusuke hung around with Atty!" the red Scapegoat exclaimed, hopping a bit.

"You disappeared a little while before Yusuke did!" the blue Scapegoat added, hopping with his partner.

Red Eyes Black Chick bounced a little bit too. "Then if you're back... maybe he's not..."

"Impossible," Honest moaned. "I felt him disappear from this world..."

"He's right. Even Atticus saw it happen. But...a lot of strange things have been happening lately," Panther Warrior muttered, frowning and glancing back at his unconscious master.

Yellow Scapegoat looked back as well. "Uh... shouldn't we get some help for Atticus?"

Red Scapegoat smacked his forehead with a hoof. "Of course! Knew we were forgetting something! We gotta go tell the others so they can tell someone!!"

Honest managed to transform himself and knelt by Atticus's side. "I'll stay with him..."

"I still don't trust you... Scapegoats, Chick, you stay here too. I'll go tell the others," Panther Warrior stated before disappearing.

Blue Scapegoat sighed. "He's so stubborn!"

"How he could be so stubborn after that duel with Alexis, nobody knows," Pinky the Scapegoat stated.

Red Eyes Black Chick nodded. "Yeah... Right, Daddy?" it called to a monster that suddenly towered over the group.

Red-Eyes Black Dragon chuckled. "He wasn't this bad before that happened, son. I think...he's trying to make up for a severely bruised pride."

"Yeah... Good thing Dark Magician Girl took pictures," Yellow Scapegoat said with a naughty grin.

While most of the spirits stayed by Atticus's side, Panther Warrior quickly made his way to the Slifer dorm. It was the closest, and he knew that some of Jaden's heroes might still be around at this time.

Elemental Hero Neos, as it happened, was outside the Slifer dorms in conversation with Yubel. "You believe the threat is now upon us?" he asked.

Yubel nodded, frowning. "I can sense it. I have the whole year, but now it's much stronger. It's as if it's surrounding the entire island...but I can tell this isn't its only target," she explained.

"Perhaps we'll be able to contain it here," Neos offered, and then saw Panther Warrior out of the corner of his eye. "Panther Warrior?"

The armor-wearing cat stopped beside the two spirits, the worry obvious on his face. "Neos, Yubel, I'm glad that you're still here. You need to tell Jaden that Atticus is in trouble."

"Trouble?" Yubel asked, instantly considering it Darkness's doing.

"Yes... He passed out; I can explain more once he's taken care of," the cat warrior stated, looking back at the woods with concern in his eyes.

"Of course," Neos answered. He and Yubel, along with Panther Warrior headed through the dorm walls into Jaden's room.

"Okay, so... Alexander the Great had... the Millennium Ring?" the Slifer asked his fiancée as they were studying Dueling History for Senior Students.

Alexis sighed and rubbed her forehead. She loved her fiancé, and understood that he really was trying. But it got a bit tiresome after the fifth time. "No, Jaden..."

"Yeah he did... See?" Jaden pointed to the history book. "I was right!!!" He jumped up and down happily as Alexis sighed, smiling. "But... maybe we should take a break..."

"No time for a break, Jaden," Yubel stated as she and the other spirits appeared.

Alexis blinked in surprise, especially when she saw Panther Warrior. "Panther Warrior??"

"Yubel?" Jaden asked. "Neos, what's up?"

"Atticus is in trouble," Neos answered without preamble. "Panther Warrior can fill us in..."

"He's passed out on the trail near the main building. I can explain what happened on the way..." Panther Warrior began.

Alexis was on her feet in a heartbeat. "He's passed out?! Not again," she muttered, remembering their first year.

Jaden gripped his fiancée's hand. "It'll be okay, babe. Let's get a med kit and call Miss Fontaine! And let's get to him..." They got a medical kit from a cupboard in the room and called the nurse as they ran toward the forest.

On the way, Panther Warrior filled the two humans and two duel spirits in on what had caused Atticus's unconscious state, omitting that it was a duel spirit that had inadvertently caused it. He chose not to mention that 'Yusuke' was in fact a duel spirit, and that the real Yusuke had supposedly died in the Horakhty dorm.

When they arrived, 'Yusuke' was still kneeling at Atticus's side. "Alexis?" he asked, looking over the Obelisk girl he remembered last as a middle school student eager to follow her brother's path to Duel Academy.

Alexis blinked, frowning. The teen looked familiar to her, but she couldn't attach a name to the face. Or remember where she knew him from. "Do I...know you...?"

"My name's Yusuke... Yusuke Fujiwara," the supposed teen answered, still watching Atticus. "It's been a long time," he smiled.

Jaden smiled a little, moving forward, but then he sensed Yubel's unease. 'Yubel,' he thought/sent, 'what's wrong?'

'Whether or not he's speaking the truth, Jaden, that person isn't a human. He's definitely a duel spirit,' she sent back, frowning.

"Yusuke...your name sounds really familiar," Alexis mused, trying to remember who the person was.

"I go to school with Atticus... or I did," 'Yusuke' answered, wondering how long it would be before the humans figured out who he was. 'But I have to keep this up, because they will have no warning of the impending disaster,' he thought.

Jaden, rather than wait for Miss Fontaine, knelt at Atticus's side and began first aid. "C'mon, Atticus... wake up, man... We're right here..."

But Atticus remained unconscious, mind still trying to recuperate after the onslaught of suppressed memories. Alexis dropped down beside her brother, taking his hand. "It's okay, Atty... We're here... Miss Fontaine's on the way to help," she murmured, squeezing his hand.

The angel duel monster masquerading as Yusuke Fujiwara sighed. "How long have I been away?" he asked, not totally sure of the passage of time. "Alexis... the last time I saw you, you were at Duel Academy Prep... Are you a freshman?"

Alexis blinked in surprise looking at him. "Uh...no, I'm a senior. You knew me back then??"

"Senior? What year is this?"

"It's the spring of 2019, Yusuke," Jaden answered carefully, eyes narrowing slightly, keeping his face down so as not to let Yusuke know he suspected what was happening.

"Yusuke," predictably, looked stunned. "Four years... What happened?"

"How do you not know?" Alexis asked, staring at him in confusion and suspicion.

"I don't know where I've been," 'Yusuke' answered.

It was at this moment that Miss Fontaine arrived. At the sight of an unconscious Atticus, she groaned softly. "Oh, no... not again..." But she went straight to work. When she couldn't rouse the large Obelisk student, she met Yusuke's eyes. "Young man, I'm going to need your assistance..."

"Okay," he answered. He helped her get the young man onto a stretcher and soon they were heading to the infirmary.

'Yubel, any read on this guy?' Jaden sent to her.

'No... Aside from the fact he's a spirit, I can't find much else. He's hiding it very well,' Yubel sent back, obviously annoyed.

'Neos?'

'No idea, Jaden... but I somehow sense he has a hidden motive,' the leader of the Neo-Spacians sent.

"Jay...?" Alexis asked from beside him. She noticed he was apparently in deep thought, and was a little worried.

He met her eyes, knowing she'd get the message. "It's okay," he mouthed. She blinked, but decided to just trust him for now. Besides, he usually knew what he was doing for stuff like this...or at least she hoped he did. They made it to the infirmary quickly, and there Jaden made calls to the gang. And soon the group was crowded around their injured comrade and sizing up the newcomer.

'Yusuke' looked around at the gang. "Syrus Truesdale... you haven't changed much," he grinned at the bluenette.

Syrus was startled, staring at the stranger who somehow knew his name. He looked familiar, but even with a name he couldn't remember from where. "Y-You know me??"

"Yeah. Your brother and I were buddies. You were attending Domino Middle School, the last I checked... But you're dueling?"

"Uh...yeah. But, wait, you were friends with Zane??" Syrus tried to think back on his big brother's friends, but only Atticus came to mind.

"Yeah. It's been a while. We met at Duel Academy Prep and spent some time together. I don't think we were at your house much..." The angel spirit was lying here. The boys had met at Duel Academy, but hadn't been friends earlier. Syrus scratched the back of his head, a little confused. Surely his brother would have mentioned Yusuke. "It's been too long, but that's okay," Yusuke soothed, smiling a little.

Annie moved forward and introduced herself. Something caught her attention when she touched his hand. 'Huh?' she thought. And then Rei, the Guardian of Mars appeared next to her. 'Rei, what is it?' she sent.

'Annie...he's definitely not a human,' the black-haired spirit sent. She was staring at Yusuke with her fiery gaze, seeing straight through his guise like the other spirits.

'Does he intend to hurt us, Rei?'

'I...don't think so. It's hard to sense anything aside from the fact that he's a duel spirit,' the fairy monster answered.

Annie nodded. 'Thanks, Rei...'

Jasmine, sitting at Atticus's side, had no ears for the group greetings. "Atty... please come back to me," she pleaded softly.

Alexis was sitting beside Jasmine. "He will...he always does..." she muttered, frowning. And this time there wasn't going to be any Shadow Riders to mess things up.

"We'll stay with you until he wakes up, Alexis," Mindy said.

"Yeah, sis... We're not leaving," Chazz added, his gray eyes burning with intensity.

Alexis smiled; Atticus was going to have a lot more people to wake up to. "Thanks, guys...bro..."

Miss Fontaine, over at her desk, smiled. She remembered the events of two years ago when Atticus had been brought in along with Jaden and how no one in the then small group had left either boy. "You kids can stay, but remember, you all have class in the morning. Yusuke... we'll have to find you a room again..."

"Yes, ma'am," he said eagerly, thinking his plan had worked.

"Yusuke........what........" Atticus groaned, face contorting into an expression of pain and confusion. He was going through clips of memory in his unconscious state, reliving certain pieces. Stumbling upon Yusuke in the basement. Seeing the blood. Taking the mask.

"Bro?" Chazz asked, eyes wide with worry.

"Atty..?" Alexis murmured, taking his hand. She hated the feeling of déjà vu she was getting.

"...don't....go..." Atticus moaned, brows furrowing as he grimaced. Yusuke was disappearing, fading away. Again.

'Yusuke' sat close to the bed, frowning in concern. "He's with you, Atticus... you're not alone..."

Alexis looked over at 'Yusuke', eyes narrowing in suspicion. "What do you mean? Do you know what he's dreaming about?"

'Oh no,' Honest/ 'Yusuke' thought. So he tried to cover. "Ooh," he moaned softly, feigning a headache. He held his hand to his head, closing his eyes. "I... can't remember much."

"Are you okay?" Syrus asked.

"Just... a headache, I think," 'Yusuke' explained, keeping up the act. Miss

Fontaine raced into the room and helped him to a bed close to Atticus. "Just rest," she said. "It'll pass."

"Thank you, Miss Fontaine," he answered, lying down. After a while, the room got quiet. "Lex," Jaden whispered about an hour after nearly everyone else was asleep.

"Hmm? What is it, Jay?" she whispered. Alexis had even begun to doze off, though she tried staying awake in case Atticus woke up.

"About earlier... I don't think he's who he says he is..."

"Who? Yusuke?" The young man nodded, face grave. "Why??"

He met her eyes and held her gaze. "Yubel sensed something."

She frowned. "Well...what did she sense?"

Jaden lowered his voice as far as he could without making himself inaudible. "She senses that he's a duel spirit..."

Alexis's eyes widened. "But...that doesn't make sense. How is he doing this?" She whispered, referring to looking human and being tangible.

"I'm not sure," the young man answered. "But... we have to find out..."

"How?"

And Jaden Kiyo Yuki, never one with complete plans, stayed true to form. "I don't know..."

Alexis nearly face-planted, but managed to stop herself and sighed instead. "Well, unless we figure out how, we can't..."

"Yeah, I know," he groaned softly. Over on one set of chairs, Bastion muttered equations in his sleep. Violet had managed to flip around so that her head was hanging off of the seat, muttering equations of a different kind. Rosa and Tyson were drifting on another set of chairs, just on the verge of sleep.

Tyson, on the edge of sleep, opened his eyes slightly. "Sarge? Everything okay?" he asked groggily.

"It's okay, Private, go back to sleep," Jaden answered softly.

"You heard him," Rosa muttered, shifting against him to get more comfortable. Syrus sat in another chair beside Annie, glasses slightly askew as he dozed. Because of their height difference, Sy was using Annie's chest as a pillow while she rested her head on his head.

"Mmm," she muttered softly in her sleep.

Jesse's head was dropped back over the back of his chair, snoring lightly and looking much like a certain Slifer. Jim's visible eye was closed, arms crossed over his chest as Shirley slept at his feet. It was hard to tell if he was actually sleeping, though.

Axel had taken up guard at the door, knowing that if a threat presented itself, he would be ready to fight it. Adrian, meanwhile, was typing information into his mini-laptop computer of what nature, no one knew.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

The next morning, the gang raced to class and took an exam. And every available moment they had, they were in the infirmary waiting for Atticus to wake up. But it wasn't until late in the day that Atticus seemed to finally be waking up. The sun was already dropping past the trees when he showed the first signs of coming out of it.

"Atty? It's okay," Jasmine murmured, holding his left hand in her hands.

"Yeah, bro," Chazz added softly, Mindy at his side.

"Come on, bro... You can come out of it," Alexis muttered quietly. It was only half a minute, but it seemed like an hour when Atticus's eyes finally opened. They were out of focus from being unconscious for such a long period, and he was obviously very confused.

"Welcome back, Atticus," 'Yusuke' smiled.

Atticus blinked, staring at Yusuke...but seeming to look right through him. "...Who are you??"

"It's me... Yusuke Fujiwara... Remember?"

Though he had spent most of his unconscious time reliving the memories of Yusuke, he now couldn't remember any of them. "Yusuke...n-no," he answered.

"Atticus doesn't remember you, Yusuke," Chazz asserted softly, "and you don't have any memory of the past four years... Why is that?"

"I... don't know," 'Yusuke' answered, eyes shifting slightly.

"Why am I in the infirmary?" Atticus asked. He was having trouble remembering what exactly had happened before he passed out; heck, he couldn't even remember doing so.

"You saw me and passed out, Atticus... You had some sort of headache," Yusuke tried again, gently. 'Should I make them all think they know me?' he wondered.

"It's so hard to remember," Atticus murmured, reaching up to hold his head.

"Just relax, big bro," Chazz soothed.

Jasmine moved to brush her boyfriend's brown bangs. "Atty... it's okay... just let yourself get better..."

"Just rest and relax, bro," Alexis added, placing a hand over his. Atticus sighed, resting back against his pillows. He was really getting annoyed with this not remembering problem.

The young adults looked at whom they were beginning to regard as an intruder. And Honest could sense it. 'I need to hypnotize them,' he thought, preparing to use his powers. But luckily, the other duel monsters intervened.

"No... Please don't do that," Avian said, appearing before the angel monster. "They can help you..."

"But..."

Burstinatrix appeared as well, arms folded over her chest. "It may be hard to believe at first, but this whole group isn't like most of the students at this school. They'll want to help."

"But... they will be in danger," Honest explained to the duel spirits, not realizing that their human friends could hear everything now.

Usagi, in her Angelic Guardian of the Moon costume, explained, "It's all right. They know danger is coming and they know they have to face it. Yubel's friend, Jaden has fought and won against the forces that have threatened us all before..."

Yubel appeared, nodding. "If you reveal yourself to them now and help them, they will be stronger against the oncoming Darkness. You must tell them what you know and lend them your powers..."

"Don't run from them, as you're thinking of doing... Live up to your name, Honest, and be honest with them. Jaden and Alexis know the truth, but have not revealed what they know about you. Let them help," Usagi finished, meeting the angel's blue eyes with her own.

Honest took a deep, yet shaky breath. Bastion caught it. "Yusuke, are you all right?" he asked curiously.

"My name... isn't really Yusuke," the young man's clone said slowly.

Jaden and Alexis exchanged glances, wondering if he was about to give himself up. "Wait, what do you mean that's not your name??" Violet asked, confused.

'Yusuke's' figure began to blur, glowing with light. "Yusuke is the name of my human friend... and he did know Atticus and Zane Truesdale. My name... is Honest," the angel monster said, revealing his true form.

The trappings of the teen boy fell away to reveal an angel figure. Bastion blinked. "A duel spirit? How is this possible? I've been unable to see them!" He'd been able to see them once, but then as a young man of science, had turned away from the ability, deeming it a child's fantasy. But now, he could not deny the evidence in front of him.

"Crikey... So that's a duel spirit?" Jim muttered; he too had been unable to see them.

"Dios mio," Rosa murmured a few words in Spanish and crossed herself upon sight of Honest's angelic form.

Atticus blinked and stared at the spirit. "Honest...?" Though his memories of Yusuke had been suppressed, his memories of the duel spirit hadn't been.

Honest nodded. "I'm here to help... and hopefully be helped. Atticus... you remember nothing of my friend, do you?" The other teens had various expressions of shock on their faces at the sight of the angel monster and couldn't say a word.

Atticus frowned. "I...do... But...I can't… get to them," he tried to explain, knowing it probably sounded stupid.

"You can't remember because whatever happened was so bad, part of you doesn't want to," Chazz explained, his eyes getting a faraway look.

Atticus looked over at his brother in surprise. "How...how did you know?" That sounded exactly like what his problem was.

"There are... some things I didn't want to remember," the youngest Rhodes sibling explained, still with that peculiar expression on his face. "But... you need to remember them, bro... Not all at once, but... soon..."

Atticus sighed, closing his eyes. "I know... I keep trying, but then this happens." Many nights he had tried unlocking the memories buried in his mind, only to pass out and wake up in the morning with nothing. It was like there was a locked door, and he had the key, but it was lost among hundreds of others. And with each failed try he got further and further away from the door.

Jasmine kept grip on her love's hand. "It's okay... It'll come... Don't force it..." His face was white from the strain of trying to remember.

Miss Fontaine raced into the room again and took the young man's pulse. "He needs to just calm down right now... Just relax, Atticus..."

The sick Obelisk took in a few deep breaths, trying to do as Miss Fontaine told him to. He sighed, frowning. "I know, I know... It's just hard... I've been waiting for it to come for four years..."

Honest laid his hand on Atticus's shoulder, using some of his energy to calm the young man's body and mind. "Just rest now... things will be okay... and perhaps you will remember when you wake up..." Atticus blinked a few times, all of a sudden feeling very sleepy. It was only a minute before he drifted off to sleep thanks to Honest's powers. "I have powers of suggestion," the angel creature admitted softly as Atticus rested. "I was thinking of using them to make you think you remembered Yusuke..."

"Remembering someone we didn't even know... How could you do that?" Syrus asked.

"I... can hypnotize people. But perhaps someone with strong resistance or a strong duel spirit wouldn't be able to be controlled," Honest mused.

"So...can you tell us more about the real Yusuke?" Alexis inquired, wanting to remember her brother's friend.

"Of course," Honest answered, smiling lightly. Miss Fontaine, wisely, said nothing. It seemed that the abnormal would always be normal at Duel Academy and that she might as well accept it. The group sat around the room, ready to listen.

Bastion looked completely stunned. "This... this is impossible..."

Violet offered her fiancé a grin as she held his hand. "Just listen, Bastion-baby. I'll talk to you about all of this later," she whispered.

Bastion nodded, dumbly. And so Honest began his tale. "I was bonded to Yusuke when he was very young. His parents died and he thought they abandoned him. It was then that I revealed myself to him and told him that I would be his family. He was adopted over a year after his parents died, but he didn't trust the people who took him in. He feared being forgotten as he felt he had been by his parents. But then he came to Duel Academy and met Atticus and Zane..."

"Hey...now that I think about it, when you were pretending to be Yusuke, you were wearing the same uniform as Zane and Atticus. Was he in that special dorm too?" Syrus asked. He remembered Zane telling him about the Horakhty dorm before it became the notorious abandoned dorm.

"He was in the Horakhty dorm," Honest confirmed. "Yusuke was a brilliant duelist, but his loneliness and his fear of being alone proved to nearly be his undoing... He began looking in books for information on how to forget the people he had loved and lost, but...what he did... backfired..." The angel moaned softly in pain at this memory, and was partly thankful Atticus was blocking out what Honest did not know for certain. 'But I have surmised what he did... Perhaps I don't want to know. But I must know,' he thought.

"You okay there, Honest?" Jesse asked. They could all see the obvious pain in the spirit's expression.

Ruby Carbuncle materialized on Jesse's shoulder. Most of the time, she spoke in a language that humans could not understand, but communicated only with Jesse in their minds. And now, she asked him telepathically, "May I try helping?"

Jesse smiled, patting the fox-like spirit on the head. "Sure thing, Ruby."

The little creature hopped down from Jesse's shoulder and hopped onto the foot of Atticus's sick-bed. "Honest... please talk," she offered telepathically. "Whatever happened, it wasn't your fault..."

Honest groaned softly. "I promised to protect him..." Ruby brushed against the angel-spirit in an attempt to comfort him. And he absently scratched her behind the ears. He found some strength in that, and managed to continue, "One evening, he came to our room with books and told me he had found a way to perform a ritual... But he didn't wish me harmed in the process. So he laid his deck down and left it in his room. I had no choice but to stay behind. And then... I felt him cry out... Then... nothing..." A tear came down Honest's glowing cheek. "I couldn't sense him anymore..."

"You mean...you think he's..?" Alexis couldn't quite ask the question.

"I think so," Honest confirmed. "But... I'm no longer sure... How can I still be tethered to this world if my human friend is gone?"

"Well...isn't there two types of gone?" Violet asked suddenly.

"There are... but... I thought I felt him die... Now, I am not sure," Honest said, confused.

"But if his soul ended up trapped in a place like the Shadow Realm, then it would feel like he died... I mean, what if there's something that trapped his soul and his body?" Violet was trying to explain the thoughts in her head, and as usual was having problems getting it out right.

"I don't know," Honest answered softly.

"Maybe... I can help," a sweet feminine voice asserted. A young blonde woman with green eyes, and wearing a feminine version, in pink and blue of the Dark Magician's clothing, appeared. "Hello, everyone!" the Dark Magician Girl said cheerfully. Bastion's eyes were as wide as saucers.

Violet patted him on the head. "Remember, we'll talk later," she muttered to her love. Oh, that was going to be a fun talk.

"Hi, Dark Magician Girl!" Syrus greeted cheerfully.

"Hi, Dark Magician Girl," Annie greeted as well. In her first year, when she had developed feelings for the then-Slifer boy, she suspected that his heart had belonged to the very lovely creature. But now, she knew that not to be the case. That didn't stop her from being slightly jealous. 'How does she look so much better than me?!' Annie thought.

"Hey, Annie, Syrus," the monster girl greeted eagerly.

"Dark Magician Girl, you said you could help us with this? How?" Violet asked, catching her best friend's jealousy and deciding to get to the point quickly.

"Well, I know the difference between humans being trapped and being dead," the pretty duel monster answered. "And... death is like a cold hole where the person once was... There is no return from it..."

"So...how can we know if Yusuke's dead or trapped?" Alexis questioned, hoping the duel spirit would have an answer.

"Honest... what do you feel that makes you unsure?" DMG tried. Everyone leaned forward and listened.

The angel spirit thought carefully, reaching out. "I... feel his presence... ever so slightly. It's as if... he's not entirely here..."

Alexis blinked suddenly, remembering. "Wait...that's what I felt when Atticus disappeared."

Dark Magician Girl met Alexis's eyes. "You felt that?"

Alexis nodded. "It's why I didn't give up on him... I knew he was still out there… somewhere." She smiled softly at the sleeping teen as she said this.

"That's why you were so sure that whole time," Jaden realized.

"Like when we ran into you near the abandoned dorm," Syrus added, the pieces fitting together easily.

"Yes. Alexis, you didn't give up because you could tell he was alive, as could his monster friends," Honest agreed. "And now... I sense it... He's alive... but trapped..."

"If it's the Shadow Realm again... That might be what Atticus can't remember," Alexis said thoughtfully.

"The Pharaoh stopped the Shadows from destroying the world again... but evil can only be held at bay... It can never be entirely eradicated," the female mage sighed sadly.

Annie moved forward to her. "Dark Magician Girl... it'll be okay... We'll hold it back again," she soothed. Sure, Annie might be slightly jealous, but she could hold back that jealously. And the truth was she liked Dark Magician Girl.

"Yeah. We've done it before, too. And whatever's going to happen...we'll stand against it," Syrus added determinedly.

Honest was smiling now. "He's alive... he's alive," he murmured over and over again.

The spellcaster smiled, remembering when the Pharaoh had been reborn in Yugi. It was like sunshine.

"You feel good?" Annie asked her.

"Yeah... just remembering," Dark Magician Girl answered softly. "It's good to know when someone comes back to you..."

"You mean like when the Pharaoh came back to you?" Violet asked, smiling.

The blonde sorceress nodded, smiling in bliss. "I remember that day... And now Honest is having that day..." Annie nodded, smiling too. And her slight jealousy drew its last breath and died.

_Honest has managed to make himself known to the group, and unlike in canon, he didn't get destroyed or tethered to Jaden before he died. And now, Bastion has regained his talent to see duel spirits that he lost at a young age. This is conjecture on your authoresses' part, but we believe it is not an unreasonable one. As for Jim, it's never been established that he could or couldn't sense duel spirits. So we went with it. Anyway, next time… "Nightfall." Please join us then, so until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	22. Nightfall

Chapter XXII: Nightfall

_Hello again, fans of our Yugi-verse and welcome to any newcomers! We're so glad to see you! As you can probably tell, this story is taking a darker turn. And for those of you who are wondering, yes, this is deviating from the as-yet-undubbed Season 4 of GX. And yes, there are deviations from canon. So on that note, onto the story!_

_Last time, Atticus encountered what appeared initially to be his long-lost and forgotten friend, Yusuke Fujiwara. But this Yusuke turned out to be a duel spirit by the name of Honest. Honest tried to hide his true identity, but the other duel spirits convinced the angel spirit to tell the humans the truth about himself. The gang, now forewarned and forearmed, prepared for a new enemy. So what will happen now? Read on… if you dare…_

_**Disclaimer: We obviously don't own GX… If we did, there would be changes to canon. We do, however, own our own characters, this version of the Yugi-verse and our ideas. If you wish to use our characters or ideas, please contact us. We also don't own the statement Axel gives to Jaden. This paraphrase comes from **_**The Simpsons' **_**season one episode, "Bart the General."**_

___Authors' note: This chapter deviates from canon in that no one is forgotten when they're taken. Further, the real Yusuke has been found out, so Darkness cannot use the boy in his evil plan. Also, the duel in this chapter was written between your two authoresses. Peach didn't do so well… Finally, Jaden may seem a little OOC here, but it's for a good cause. Thank you for your attention._

Meanwhile, in a dark dimension, far from the realm of humans, a young man with what looked like chlorinated blonde hair and periwinkle blue eyes sat on a small throne. He was prince of his particular world, but he was not the absolute ruler. This was Yusuke Fujiwara, the boy who had been presumed dead.

"Yusuke," echoed a grainy, deep voice that sounded as far from human as physically possible. Two red eyes stared out of the shadows, which were everywhere. There was no true light in the entire realm, and yet one was just able to see.

Yusuke looked up at the red eyes, got out of his chair and knelt. "What is your bidding, my master?" he asked, his head bowed.

"Only a change of plans. Those in the realm of your birth know of you...and that you are indeed alive. I have no choice but to have you remain here. Mr. T shall collect all of the souls alone..." The voice's tone was informing and yet commanding, leaving room for no argument.

Yusuke inwardly frowned. But outwardly, he asked, "How could that be?"

"Your duel spirit partner, Honest, aided them in discovering this. As did Dark Magician Girl. Both shall be dealt with," the menacing being answered, the threat clear in its words.

Deep within Yusuke, there was a flash of regret for Honest's likely fate. But now, he said, "Yes, my master..."

"Do what you wish for the time being. But you are not to go to Earth. Have I made myself clear, Yusuke?"

"Yes, my master," Yusuke repeated. He knew he would likely not face his former friend now. 'But what if they can defeat this plot? Will I return?' he mused in his head.

The red eyes shifted, as if the figure had turned away. "Trueman!"

Said man appeared in a burst of shadow, wearing a full black-and-red one piece leather jumpsuit. His brown hair was slicked back, and a pair of sunglasses hid his eyes from view. He kneeled before the eyes, just as Yusuke had. "You called, master?"

"You are to go to Earth and begin the attack. But I want one of your copies to attack a certain couple specifically..." The hidden figure said two names, only loud enough for Mr. T to hear.

The man nodded. "As you wish, master." And with that, he disappeared in another burst of darkness.

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One day passed and Atticus was allowed to leave the infirmary and rest in his own room. And that evening, Tyson and Rosa went for a walk in the woods. "Just think... in a month... we're gettin' married," he said, putting his arm around her. They hadn't forgotten what had happened yesterday or the nightmare warnings, but they were focusing on the happiness to come.

Rosa smiled softly, the sun setting behind the trees to turn the sky a brilliant orange. "We'll truly be tied together at last... For the rest of our lives," she murmured, almost breathlessly. The excitement and anticipation was getting to all four couples.

"Yeah... It ain't gonna be perfect for us, but we're gonna have a place of our own... And if the Pro League don't work out, I have fallback plans..."

"You do?" Rosa and Tyson had begun talking more and more about their future lately, making plans to prepare for the obstacles they would be confronted with.

"Yeah. I've planned for college, and I've got a good trust fund, so if the Pro League doesn't work out, I can get a degree in paleontology," Tyson answered, "since the Army's out of the question..." He would pass nearly every physical, but his dinosaur leg was just too much of an irregularity. "But the money can support us, too..."

Rosa's smile broadened a little as she leaned into his side. "If we ever need money, I will help. There is much I can do." They had talked about this as well. If money ever became too tight, Rosa would take on the daily chores as well as give lessons in dancing, sewing, or cooking.

"I'm glad you've been granted citizenship... Daddy pulled some strings and... wow," Tyson answered. In the past two months, Rosa becoming a US citizen had become a reality. Ordinarily, people below the age of 18 could not be granted citizenship even if their spouses were US citizens, but Dean Hassleberry had called in a few favors. So getting married and having a marriage license was now possible, and nothing could stand in the way of their wedding. Or so they thought. Suddenly, the light breeze off the ocean became too chilling, the surrounding shadows too dark. Rosa shivered, her hair standing on end.

Tyson tensed, his dinosaur DNA heightening his senses. "What in Sam Hill," he breathed. "Darlin', stay close to me..." 'It's begun,' he thought.

Rosa frowned as the light seemed to slowly get sucked out of the surrounding area, darkness taking over. Yet they could still see, just like in her nightmares. 'It's here,' she thought, tensing. And then, in a burst of shadowy wind, Mr. T appeared. His dark hair was slicked back and he was clad in a dark jumpsuit accented in red piping.

Tyson kept his love behind him, and asked, snarling slightly, "Who are you?!"

Mr. T smirked, remembering what Darkness had commanded him to do. He knew what would happen, so was fully confident in himself. "I am Trueman, but you may call me Mr. T. I already know who you are, Tyson Hassleberry and Rosadina Jimenez."

Tyson started slightly. "How did you know my name?" Rosa, too, glared at the man in suspicion.

"That doesn't matter. All that matters is that if you wish to leave this place, you must defeat me in a duel," Mr. T stated, a duel disk forming on his arm.

Tyson looked around realizing he wasn't carrying his duel disk. "Dangit... Rosa, darlin', may I borrow your duel disk in order to beat..." And then the name registered. "Mr. T? I'm fightin' BA Barackas?!" he asked, laughing, despite the seriousness of the situation.

Rosa blinked and stared at her fiancé in obvious confusion, duel disk in her hands. "Tyson...?" Mr. T looked unphased, face neutral as he seemed to be waiting for Tyson to get into the duel.

Tyson got control of himself without much effort. "I'm fightin' a guy from the A-Team," he groaned softly. "All right... So I gotta duel you?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

Mr. T nodded. "And defeat me, though I already know that won't happen. Do you accept? Or will you have your precious fiancée duel in your stead?" He only asked to get a rise out of Tyson. Of course the teen wouldn't do that.

Tyson's blood figuratively boiled. "No. Way. I ain't puttin' Rosa in harm's way... As the Sarge says, let's get our game on..."

"Tyson...be careful," Rosa whispered, worried for her fiancé. She'd never seen the man before, but the aura about him and their surroundings reminded her far too much of her nightmares for comfort.

Mr. T smirked and activated his duel disk, drawing five cards. "You can start, then."

Tyson drew his cards. 'Hmmm... I gotta get this guy and fast... If I don't... Only the Great General knows what's gonna happen...' "All right... I open with Black Stego (1200/2000) in attack mode!" Rosa grinned; that was a good monster to start out with. Its effect and strong defense made it nearly indestructible, especially on the first turn. "And that'll do it!" Tyson said. "Your move, A-Team!"

Mr. T ignored Tyson's comment and drew, looking over his cards. "First, I'll activate Future Fusion, sending the Meteor Dragon and Red-Eyes Black Dragon from my deck to the Graveyard. Then, I summon Familiar Knight (1200/1400) and equip Axe of Despair to it, raising its attack strength by a thousand. Now attack his Black Stego!" A knight in shining armor and wearing a red cape appeared, and with his sword, rushed at the large dinosaur.

Tyson grinned. "Well, no worries because when you declare an attack on my monster, he automatically switches to defense mode and I don't take damage! Sorry, Stego!" he apologized as Black Stego went to his graveyard in a shower of pixels.

"I'll set a card and end my turn," Mr. T stated.

"Come on, Tyson! You can beat him!" Rosa cheered, encouraging her love.

"All right, I play Archaeopteryx (300/1300) in attack mode! Now, this little lizard-birdie may not look like much, but she can attack you directly! All right, little soldier! Attack!" Tyson shouted.

The reptilian bird screeched and flew at Mr. T, slashing him across the chest with her claws. His life points dropped to 3700, but he didn't react in the least. "Go Tyson!!" Rosa cheered happily, glad that they seemed to be making progress.

"And now I set one card face-down and end my turn," Tyson said calmly.

Mr. T drew and looked his cards over once more. "I'll summon Spear Dragon (1900/0) to the field and have him attack your Archaeopteryx (300/1300)!" A prehistoric monster looking like a cross between a spearhead and a pterodactyl appeared, flying up and diving at the bird like a missile.

Tyson smirked. "Oh, you shouldn't have done that. Know why? Cause I have a trap! Go Amber Pit Trap! Now your monster's attack is negated and it's stuck in defense position!"

Mr. T smirked as well. "Oh, but I should have done that. Because now my stronger monster remains unharmed and can destroy your puny pigeon! Familiar Knight (12002200/1400), destroy that bird!" The knight once more raised its sword, charging at Archaeopteryx.

Tyson staggered backwards as his monster was taken out, and his life points dropped from 4000 to 2100. "ARRRGH!!!"

"TYSON!!" Rosa gasped, placing her arms around him to help hold him up. "Ty-Ty, are you all right??"

"I'm... I'm all right, darlin', and I'm gonna figure a way to win," he asserted. "You done?" he asked Trueman.

Mr. T nodded. "That ends my turn. Your move...if you can make it," he smirked.

Rosa sent a fiery glare at the man as she reluctantly released her hold on Tyson. "You can beat him, Tyson! Show him just how strong of a duelist you are!"

Tyson took a breath. "Okay...I draw..." He took a look at his hand and knew what he had to do. "I call Killersaurus (1800/1100) to the front lines! And then I play an Equip Spell, Horn of the Unicorn, which boosts Killersaurus's attack points by 700!" Killersaurus's attack points rose to 2500 points. "And now, Killersaurus, attack his Spear Dragon!"

"I activate my trap! Draining Shield! It negates your monster's attack and increases my life points by its attack power!" Mr. T yelled, a bright green shield appearing around him. The dinosaur crashed into it, and Mr. T's Life Points soared to 6200.

Tyson realized at this moment, he just might not make it out of this. 'But there's gotta be a way...'

Rosa placed her hand on Tyson's arm, looking into his eyes. She didn't need to speak to tell him what she wanted to. 'You can do this, Tyson! I believe in you!' she thought.

Tyson took a deep breath. And with his eyes he told her, 'I know...' He thought through the situation. 'He used Drainin' Shield and it's a Normal Spell... He's already used it. Now I need to figure out how to use his life points...' He looked carefully at his hand. 'Perfect.' "Now I use a spell card, Hinotama!" he shouted, and a rain of meteors showered down from the heavens.

Mr. T's Life Points fell to 5700, but he was obviously unbothered by this. "Are you finished now?"

Tyson shook his head. "Nope... ain't done yet... I now use the Spell card, Pot of Greed and get two more cards!" 'C'mon... YES!' he mentally whooped. He had a monster in his hand that just might save him, but now, he needed to get a spell card on the field. "I set two cards down and end my turn."

Mr. T drew and smirked. "It has been two turns. Now the effect of my Future Fusion activates! The monsters I sent to the Graveyard come together, to summon Meteor Black Dragon (3500/2000)!!" The enormous dragon covered in molten rock appeared, towering above the playing field.

Tyson looked up at the towering monster, determination in his eyes. "I'm gonna beat this," he muttered. He was ready with a trap card.

"Then, I'll sacrifice Familiar Knight to summon Twin-headed Beast (1700/1900)! Since Axe of Despair was sent to the Graveyard, I can activate its effect. By sacrificing Spear Dragon, it returns to my hand. Before using it, however, I'll activate Heavy Storm to destroy all spell and trap cards on the field!"

"DANG IT!" Tyson shouted, unable to think of anything else. 'I'm about to lose,' he realized in horror. With the amount of life points he had versus that monster and no defense on the field, he would likely lose this turn. 'Even with the effect of that spell card... I'm toast!' he thought. But he would go down fighting as best he could.

But there seemed to be hope as Black Meteor Dragon was destroyed. "Unfortunately, when Future Fusion is destroyed, so is my fusion monster. However, I happen to have Monster Reborn in my hand! I'll now use it to summon Meteor Black Dragon back from my Graveyard." The dragon reappeared as if it had never left. "I'll then equip Axe of Despair to Twin-headed Beast (17002700/1900)! Now...attack Killersaurus and destroy it!"

Tyson yelped as Killersaurus was blown off the field. His life points were now down to 400. "I ain't licked yet," he snarled, trying to keep his head in the game.

Rosa could see it plain as day; it was impossible for Tyson to win. His side of the field was bare, while Trueman had two powerful monsters to attack with thanks to Twin-headed Beast's effect. "Tyson," she muttered.

Mr. T, however, had a job to do before he'd finish this. "Tyson... You fought well with those dinosaurs of yours. You're quite close to them, aren't you?"

Tyson nodded. "They're my friends..."

Mr. T grinned almost evilly. "They may be now, but go back to when they all were living. And to when that fossil in your leg belonged to a true dinosaur... Would you like to see whose DNA you have in you now?" Rosa was frowning, staring suspiciously at Mr. T. What was he trying to get at??

Despite knowing that T was an enemy, Tyson nodded eagerly. "I'd love to know that..."

"Then allow me to enlighten you..." Mr. T raised his arm up, palm facing Tyson. Dark shadows swirled up around him, sending his mind sprawling back to the prehistoric age.

Tyson blinked and he was surrounded by flying pterodactyls, and a prehistoric jungle. "Sam Hill... and..." He realized he had very tiny arms and a very scaly body. "I'm the Space Tyranno!" A stegosaurus lumbered across the path Tyson was standing on, too far away to notice the hungry predator. Instantly, without any self-control, the Texas teen's massive body began running forward towards its prey. "Oh, I'm hungry! What the heck! That's a stegosaurus! So... why do I think it's a burger?!" Tyson wondered as he ran toward the creature.

Finally, the stegosaurus realized it was in danger and turned, roaring and swinging its tail threateningly. But Tyson didn't hesitate, body acting of its own accord as it leapt onto the large dinosaur and tore into its flesh. Tyson's mind screamed out in the mental world, while he cried out in the real world. "NOOOOOO!!!" He was eating a dinosaur! 'This isn't right!' his mind cried out in agony.

Rosa gasped when Tyson suddenly cried out, the dark energy surrounding him. She turned to send a deadly look at Trueman. "What did you do to him?!" she yelled, fists clenched.

But Mr. T didn't answer; he simply looked on with a smug smirk and continued to torment Tyson. "That's right, Tyson. And now...feel the pain as the creatures you ate now feast on your flesh!!"

Rosa's blood ran cold at those words. 'Just like....my nightmare!!! No...' she thought, eyes wide.

Tyson cried out. "Make it stop! I didn't mean to hurt you!" He could feel them attacking his flesh and it hurt. But it was relentless.

And Rosa could only watch as the love of her life stood there in pain. She had tried to grab onto him, but the force of the dark energy had sent her sprawling back. "Now, I'll have Meteor Black Dragon attack you directly and finish you off-" Trueman began, but was cut off.

"NO!!!" Rosa screamed, running to stand in front of Tyson protectively.

Tyson was abruptly brought back to the real world by his love's scream. "ROSA?!"

Rosa didn't look back at him, knowing that if she did there was a possibility her resolve would break. "...Take me instead."

Mr. T simply held his smirk, knowing this would happen all along. "Take you instead? You would take the pain and lose the duel for this man?" he questioned.

Rosa's gaze turned to the ground as she pulled in a shaky breath. She would do anything for Tyson...he'd already done so much for her. "...Yes."

"NO!" the Texas Ra shouted, more agonized than ever. To lose Rosa would be plainly Hell to him. Clearly, such a loss would be devastating.

Both Darkness and Mr. T knew this, as well as the fact that Rosa would blindly take the hit for her love. Killing two birds with one stone, as the saying went. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I am dead serious." Rosa forced herself to ignore Tyson's shouting, even if it hurt. She couldn't stand to lose him, not like this. As if her words had been a cue, the dark energy faded from Tyson's body and the pain stopped.

"So be it. Take his burden on your shoulders." Instantly, the energy burst around Rosa, the pain hitting her in an intense blow. It was almost déjà vu to her as she screamed in pain, the agony more intense than when she had been bitten by the snake in Spain.

Tyson felt hit straight to the heart hearing her scream again. "ROSA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HER, YOU B******?!" His language was quite a bit less polite than usual. It was also understandable.

"Only what she asked me to do. You are now free of the pain...and she shall take the fall. Meteor Black Dragon, wipe out the remainder of his Life Points!" Mr. T explained, the giant dragon collecting the energy of a massive fireball in its jaws.

"T-Ty...son," Rosa stammered out, needing to say one last thing before she knew what was coming hit her.

"Rosa! You didn't need to do this!" he howled, as Orpheus must have when Eurydice was hurled back to Hades.

She shakily turned her head to look back at him, tears of either pain or sadness slipping down her cheeks. "Y-Yes...I did... T-Tyson I...I love you," Rosa smiled at him one last time, sparkling tears falling to the shadowed ground. And then, Meteor Black Dragon launched its attack, sending Tyson's Life Points to zero. But it hit Rosa rather than him, and with another scream she burned up like a sacrificial lamb. When the flames dissipated, there was nothing left.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" Tyson sank to his knees, fully engulfed in the pain of losing the woman he loved. 'I failed her...'

As the holographic images faded, Mr. T stood with his arms crossed over his chest. "You should be grateful! She sacrificed herself for you without a second thought...you're only alive because of her!" He laughed; knowing that saying she was dead was a lie, but also knowing it would hurt far worse.

Tyson shook hard... and he never did that. His eyes were horribly blank, and he looked at the ground, tears running down his face. "Rosa," he moaned softly. Finding plenty of damage done, Mr. T disappeared in a swirl of shadows. The surrounding area returned to normal, and by this point it was dark outside. The moon was starting to rise and the stars had come out. But this time, Tyson was alone on the forest path.

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Back at Obelisk, Annie had been sitting by her open window reading the manga version of "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" when she heard a horrible scream. "What in the world?!" she yelped.

Violet, too, had been reading manga, though hers was Shaman King. "What the heck was that?!" she yelled, nearly falling out of her chair.

Bastion and Syrus had been engaged in a game of checkers when they heard the scream and the girls' subsequent screams. "What? Syrus! That sounded like Tyson!"

"I know! You don't think..?!" Syrus replied, suddenly getting a chill. Could the Darkness have attacked now? So suddenly??

"Oh, I hope not," Bastion groaned as the girls came running from their rooms.

"That was Tyson," Annie moaned, very sure it was his scream.

"We need to call him and find out where he is. Wasn't he with Rosa?" Violet asked, pulling out her PDA.

"Yeah, let's do that!" Annie agreed.

Violet called Tyson's PDA, but there was no answer. It is doubtful if he even heard it. The purple-headed girl sighed and hung up. "No answer. How are we going to find them??"

Bastion picked up his PDA. "We each have tracking devices in our PDAs in case of emergency... We should be able to find him that way..." He punched some buttons on his PDA and... "He's in the woods..."

"I'll call everybody else," Annie said quickly, picking up her own PDA.

Down at Slifer, Jaden and Alexis had been sitting on the back deck, enjoying the sunset. "I love this dorm," he said with a smile, keeping his arm around her.

Alexis smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "Me too... It has the best view thanks to this cliff..."

"Yeah, and the sunsets are great..." And then, they heard the scream. "What the heck?!" Jaden's eyes went wide with horror.

Alexis jumped in her seat, own eyes going wide. "That...that sounded like Tyson!"

Honest appeared with them. "It's begun..."

Alexis looked over at him in shock. "It... Oh, no... Jay, what if-?"

Jaden looked at Honest. "Is that it?" he asked.

Honest nodded sadly. "Darkness has fallen..."

And then the Slifer's PDA rang... "It's Annie," Jaden breathed, punching the send button to accept the call.

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About five minutes later, the gang met at the edge of the forest. "This is so scary," Jasmine moaned. "What's happened?"

"Honest said... somebody's gone," Jaden answered, his own eyes fearful.

Atticus did a head count. "Well...it's either Tyson or Rosa," he muttered solemnly. Everyone else was accounted for.

"I have the coordinates," Bastion stated quickly, "And Dr. Crowler will be waiting for us when we get back here..."

"Then let's get going. Who knows what the heck happened to them," Violet added quickly.

And so they ran down the path as fast as they could, Annie and Sy bringing up the rear. Finally they got to... "Tyson?" Jaden called, seeing his friend on the ground. "Buddy? What happened?" he asked softly, laying his hand on his friend's shoulder. But Tyson didn't acknowledge the touch. It was obvious that Rosa was nowhere in sight, so they had their answer. It was no wonder Tyson wasn't responding.

"Whatever it is...it got Rosa," Alexis muttered, saying what everyone was thinking.

Mindy was still looking around when she saw the burn marks. "Oh my gosh... Oh no..." She pointed a finger at the ground where there was a clear patch and a circle of burns. "How did this happen?"

"I'm getting a sinking feeling that...whatever made those...is what took Rosa," Atticus answered, frowning deeply.

"Tyson... come on... Talk to us," Jaden tried again.

"Rosa... she's gone, Sarge... and it's all my fault," the big Ra finally moaned, tears coming again. Most of the group had never seen Tyson cry, and even those that had had only seen it once or twice. So it was a rare thing, and it meant this was more than serious.

"Tyson... Whatever happened, it can't be your fault..." Alexis soothed, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"No... I failed her... I got beat and she took the blow," he moaned. "Private Lexi, it's my fault... it's my fault... I wasn't good enough..."

"You were beat... You mean it dueled you?" Violet asked. Everyone in the group inwardly groaned; it would be more terror through dueling.

Tyson nodded, unable to speak for a moment. "Oh, crap," Adrian groaned. "So they're going to duel us... Whoever they are..."

Axel nodded, dark face grim. "It's a war... and if they want one... they will have one..."

"But... What happens if you lose?" Syrus asked to no one in particular, glancing at the scorch marks. What HAD happened to Rosa??

"She's gone," Tyson moaned again. "That thing... I dueled... said I was alive because of what she did... And that means..." A hush fell over the group, an unsettling feeling crawling in on them. If you were sent to the Shadow Realm, you could still come back. But if you died... It was a rare consequence for the group, at least when it came to duels.

But then, the cry of a gull broke the silence, and a familiar-looking spirit staggered into view. It was Seaside Gull, one of Rosa's closest duel spirits. He looked shaken, but he was still there as he landed wearily on Tyson's shoulder. "S-Senor Hassleberry… chico," he muttered, as if out of breath.

Tyson blinked at the familiar presence of Seaside Gull. "Seaside Gull? How can you be here if..?"

Taking a moment to catch his breath, the spirit sighed. "Senorita Jimenez is not dead, chico! She is alive, trapped en another dimension; only I was able to break through and fly back here, to you."

"She's... alive?" Tyson asked again. "But she's trapped... It should've been me..."

Seaside Gull made the motion of smacking Tyson upside the head, though his wing simply passed through. "Chico tonto! Do not sit here blaming yourself! You must find a way to get her back, si? Rapido!"

"How can I?" Tyson moaned, still in the depression phase of grief, unable to lift himself off the ground.

And then Jaden got a peculiar look on his face. "Seaside Gull, can I take over a minute?"

"Certainly, Senor Yuki." The duel spirit flew over to rest on Annie's shoulder instead, hoping Jaden could knock some sense back into Tyson.

And Jaden did. Literally. He slapped Tyson straight across the face. "PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, PRIVATE! YOUR FIANCEE NEEDS YOU TO GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND MARCH BACK TO THE DORMS! WE NEED TO GET A CONTINGENCY PLAN TOGETHER SO WE CAN SAVE HER! NOW! SO GET UP AND GET MOVING, SOLDIER! THAT'S AN ORDER!" Tyson looked up at Jaden, stunned. He wasn't able to say a word.

In fact, everyone was staring at Jaden in complete and utter shock. Had he just gone military and had he just slapped someone? Somehow, Hell had just frozen over. "Jaden...just...wow," Alexis managed, blinking a few times.

Seaside Gull had winced at the slap. "Now that is going to sting for a while," he muttered, eyes very wide.

"Sarge," Tyson managed finally, "you hit me."

"You needed it," the Slifer stated, still with that strange look on his face.

And then Axel intervened, laying a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Jaden, you owe him an apology... You can order your men to jump off a cliff and you can even send them to some horrible place to die, but for some reason, you just can't slap them."

"Oh... Sorry, Tyson," Jaden sighed sheepishly, getting an embarrassed expression on his face.

And then the Texas Ra brought himself to his feet. "No, Sarge... I needed that..."

Annie was still stunned. "What in the world just happened? Did Jaden channel... General Patton?"

Syrus sweat-dropped. "He channeled something... And it was a little scary..."

"Scary? That's an understatement, Syrus," Bastion agreed, eyes wide. "Jesse... er... you don't do that, do you?"

Jesse grinned sheepishly. "Only if somethin' really burns my biscuits, as Mama says..."

"Angry Jaden... now in Louisiana hot sauce flavor," Annie muttered.

Violet couldn't help but snicker a little at Annie's words, while Syrus suddenly got a scared look. "Let's hope they're never both angry at the same time..."

"Wouldn't that mean the world would blow up?" Jaden asked as Tyson leaned on him for support.

Alexis laughed a bit nervously. "Let's...hope that's not the case..."

"Uh..." Jaden groaned under Tyson's weight. "Little help?!"

"Oh! Sorry, Jay!" Atticus ran over, helping the Slifer support their friend.

And the procession made its way back to the edge of the forest where Dr. Crowler was waiting. "Tyson's here... then... Rosa?" he asked and the group nodded as one. And then Vellian Crowler looked up into the sky. "CAN WE HAVE JUST ONE SCHOOL YEAR WHERE A STUDENT ISN'T KIDNAPPED, INJURED OR TERRORIZED AND NO ONE IS ATTACKING THE SCHOOL? IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!" He was in a mode that the students generally referred to as the "Crowler Crack-up." But this time, it wasn't over a minor issue.

The group stared at their professor a bit warily. "Uh...Dr. C...?" Violet asked, sweat-dropping.

Vellian blinked. "Oh... sorry, kids... Let's get Tyson back to the dorm..."

They headed back, the evening wind brushing them. Tyson had gone silent again, aching for Rosa. Seaside Gull hopped back over to Tyson's shoulder, also missing his mistress dearly. But he knew that he lucky to have escaped, so that he could tell them all what they needed to know.

The group stopped in one of the many lounges and Tyson sank to a couch. "Seaside Gull... how did you escape?" Jaden asked the bird sitting on Tyson's shoulder.

The bird shifted slightly, frowning. "I am...unsure. I, like the others, were sent to a dark dimension with Senorita Jimenez. But I felt detached, somehow. I could still move and I managed to find my way back here. But there was nada I could do for Senorita Jimenez..."

"A dark dimension... Is this where you were, Honest?" Bastion asked.

"Yes," Honest answered, shivering as he remembered that horribly dark and cold place.

"Maybe...the losers of the duels get sent there... But their closest duel spirit can come back," Violet said slowly, the idea making a lot of sense.

They all nodded. "Then we know they're alive," Jaden answered. "We can't do much tonight... If we're going to duel, we can't do that while we're fighting being tired..."

"Jaden's right. We need to get some sleep. We can talk about this more tomorrow," Alexis agreed.

"Tyson... do you want to stay at Slifer with us?" Jaden offered.

"Thanks, Sarge," Tyson answered, softly.

"We'll go with you so you can get what you need, okay?" Alexis added quietly.

Tyson nodded again. Together, he, Alexis and Jaden headed to his and Rosa's room. The couple sat in the sitting area while he went to the bedroom area alone. Tyson packed up some pajamas, his uniforms, some pants and some underwear. But then he caught sight of something that had fallen to the floor. It was a soft red shawl that she had gotten to match with the ruby rose earrings that he'd given her as an engagement present. "You liked those so much... and you looked so pretty wearin' them..." He rubbed the shawl against his face, and again couldn't hold the tears back. And on the bed was her doll which he held close as he cried. "Oh, darlin'..."

Seaside Gull appeared, alighting on one of the bedposts. "Senor Hassleberry...it will be all right. You shall get her back. I have faith in you!"

But Tyson had broken down. No longer would he fear Hell because on this day, he knew what it was. In the sitting room... "Lex? You hear that?" Jaden asked.

Alexis sighed and nodded. "Yeah...this is hitting him really hard, Jay..."

And Jaden got up and headed into the room. His eyes softening, he moved to his friend, sitting down next to him. "Tyson... c'mon," he tried, putting an arm around the big Ra.

Alexis followed, placing a hand on the muscled Ra's back. "Tyson...it'll be okay. Shh...come on..." They got Tyson to his feet carefully.

"Let's get over to Slifer... You can get your pajamas on, and you can relax..." Tyson lifted his head and nodded silently, taking his bag and following them.

When they arrived at the Slifer dorms, Tyson headed straight for the bathroom. He got his pajamas on and headed back up to the room. "Thanks... for havin' me," he managed, now tired as the adrenaline left his system and his darker emotions got to him.

"No thanks needed, Tyson. We're glad to have you," Alexis replied, offering him a smile.

"Yeah, Tyson... That's what friends are for," Jaden added.

Tyson nodded. "Thanks, just the same." And then he sank down on the palette on the floor and was asleep in seconds.

Alexis sighed. "Jay...this is really bad..."

He put his arms around her as they lay down on their bed. "Babe... we'll get through this... and we'll keep it contained here somehow..."

"I just hope we can beat this before it takes anyone else," she murmured, worried.

"Me too, babe... me too," Jaden murmured back softly as she leaned into him. Ever since they'd been together, he'd appreciated how feminine and yet how strong her body felt in his grip. Tonight, he felt it again.

Before Alexis had slept with Jaden, she thought that only her father or her big brother could hold her just the right way to comfort her. But now she knew that Jaden made her feel even safer, and right now she wouldn't want to be with anyone else.

Jaden took a deep breath, breathing in Alexis's sweet scent and drifted off, enjoying this moment of peace, even in what seemed like a war. Alexis drifted soon after, and all was quiet in the room. Seaside Gull, too, was asleep on the windowsill. Without Rosa here, he had no deck to return to and was forced to remain in this world.

And back in a dark dimension, Yusuke Fujiwara stood looking at a mirror that allowed him a glimpse of his former home. A bony hand rested itself on his shoulder, the remainder of the figure from before still hidden aside from its eyes. "Yusuke....you look troubled...." it hissed.

Yusuke looked at the red eyes. "I wish... I was part of the fight, my master," he said carefully.

The hand pulled back into the shadows. "Ah... I understand, Yusuke. But it's far too dangerous with them knowing who you are. Especially since your spirit has escaped. It seems to be an unfortunate weakness within the Dark Rift... Those who have recently succumbed to Darkness that are duelists are allowing their closest spirits to slip back to Earth." The figure was obviously very displeased by this.

"Had he not escaped... I could have fought... and kept them distracted," the greenish-blonde young man mused.

"Yes, I know. It's unfortunate...now the process shall go slower. But a good number has been added to the Dark Rift for the first attack... And Mr. T is still working with his copies." The figure made a motion in the shadows, and the mirror's image changed to that of a dark ocean. Numerous people floated on its surface, unconscious, including a certain Spanish teen in an Obelisk uniform.

Yusuke looked up at the Obelisk girl. "Her loss causes damage, my master..." This was a statement of fact, nothing more.

"Exactly. And I've already given Mr. T his next set of instructions. Soon another will fall...but it will be much easier to make them give in to their darkness. The strongest have already been broken," Darkness growled with glee, the set back of the duel spirits all but forgotten.

"And who is the next one, my master?"

"It is..." And Darkness explained the next part of its plot to Yusuke, while the group of students at Duel Academy slept a relatively peaceful slumber.

_So Darkness has made his sinister move. Rosa is trapped and the group is on alert as is the school. So what will result from this? Next time, join us for "Night Light." Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	23. Night Light

Chapter XXIII: Night Light

_Hello again, __**Darkness Falls**__ readers and newcomers to this Yugi-verse. Yes, it is an alternate universe where different choices were made, thereby altering the timeline and the people involved. Anyway, we're glad you're still here with us as the story takes a darker turn and we hope you can forgive us the character torture. So we guess you're raring for another chapter. And here to introduce the chapter are our favorite funny and straight men, Jaden and Chazz!_

_**--Jaden comes onto the stage, dragging Chazz—**__Hey, everybody! It's me, Jaden… _

_**Chazz looks daggers at his fellow Slifer-- **__And me, Chazz… Slacker, you seriously couldn't have dragged Alexis here?! _

_**Jaden: **__Uh, no… She's relaxing today… She said she had a headache from me playing __**Michael Bay's Explosions**__ on my Wii! She said I had it up too loud… But the dorm couldn't hear how cool the game was otherwise._

_**Chazz: **__Uh… they heard it all over the island last week! How do you get it that loud?!_

_**Jaden: **__I got a killer sound system from Atticus!_

_**Chazz:**__ That figures… So anyway, last time, Tyson faced Trueman, who has the grave misfortune of picking the nickname of an actor from a 1980s TV series. That might've been funny, but now Rosa's gone thanks to that butthead._

_**Jaden (**__turning serious): So Tyson's really upset, we all know we're in trouble and that another bad guy has decided to make our last few weeks as students at Duel Academy a pain in the butt. Can't I have one school year where I don't have to save the world? Well, anyway, as usual, read on to find out what happens next!_

_**--Chazz sighs--:**__ I'll do the disclaimer, Slacker. As usual, Peach and Ani don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise… If they did, duh, it would've been on TV and in the manga. They just happen to like the universe enough to mess around with us. So don't sue them, okay? Thanks… SLACKER! STOP EATING THOSE CUPCAKES! THEY'RE LACED WITH RED BULL!!!_

_**--Jaden has a crazed look in his eyes as he's eaten five cupcakes and is now practically bouncing off the walls-- --Chazz sighs again—**__How this slacker is the one to save the world… God only knows…_

The next day, the news had gone through the school that a student was missing. Blair Flannigan gripped Marcel's hand. "Why is this happening?" she wondered.

Marcel frowned, holding back a blush. "I don't know, Mademoiselle Blair..."

"We have to stay close to each other... Strength in numbers..."

He nodded. "R-Right..."

And in class, Tyson sat, trying to pay attention. It was Professor Stein's class and he had to be ready for finals. Seaside Gull sat on his shoulder; he hadn't left the boy's side much, having nowhere else to go. He could also keep an eye on Tyson, who everyone was worried about.

The gang stuck together through each class, deciding there was indeed strength in numbers. "At least if we're together, we'll know what happens," Annie pointed out.

Syrus nodded. "And maybe they won't attack if we're all together..."

"Yeah," she agreed.

But unfortunately, students began to disappear. "No! I don't want to go!" a first-year girl cried that night in her room. She was a small girl with raven pigtails and big blue eyes, and unfortunately didn't have a high opinion of herself or her dueling skills.

Mr. T acted sympathetic, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But you know it's true. You are weak... Give in to this fact, acknowledge it, and you shall become strong..."

"I...I am weak... If I were a boy... I'd be in Slifer," she admitted, her blue eyes tearing.

"Come with me... And you will be stronger than even the pros," he lied, holding out his hand. She took it and disappeared. Scenes similar to this one were happening simultaneously in all of the dorms, Mr. T taking full advantage of his copy ability. By the time dawn came, there was an obvious gap in the student body.

"What's happening here," Annie moaned softly the next morning as the cadre headed to classes.

"This is bad... People are disappearing like crazy. And I don't think it's just happening here," Violet stated, frowning.

Bastion was checking the news on his PDA. "All over the world... people are going..."

"It just doesn't make sense, unless there are thousands of this guy," Alexis said in annoyance.

"Oh, great... The attack of the clones," Jaden groaned. "But that makes sense..."

"How do we fight an enemy that can be everywhere at once?" Syrus asked worriedly.

"He's gonna come for us... And me," Jaden knew. "But I can't run. Running now would be foolish..."

"There's gotta be a way we can fight this, though. A way to stop them from taking us," Atticus said thoughtfully.

"But how?" Jaden wondered. "Atticus...can you remember anything?

Atticus sighed and shook his head. "No...I still haven't gotten anything..."

"There's got to be something we're missing here," Jaden mused.

"All we know about this guy is that there's a whole lotta him, that he challenges ya to a duel, and that if ya lose, you're sent to this dark world," Jesse counted off.

"So he takes everybody... but... urgh," Jaden groaned in frustration.

"Jaden," Bastion said calmly, "don't over-think..."

"We're missin' somethin' here, mates. And we better figure it out right quick, or we're going to be in a lot of trouble," Jim stated, arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah," Adrian agreed, eyes narrowing. "But what does he do to get people to go with him?"

"Tyson, do you remember anything?" Violet asked.

Tyson took a deep breath. "I remember... us walkin' in the woods. And then we met this guy who looked like somebody out of that movie, 'The Matrix...' We dueled and then... I just remember feelin' fear, and then..." His eyes popped. "I gotta remove it! I gotta!!"

"Hang on, Tyson! Remove it? What are you talking about??" Alexis asked, the whole group surprised by his sudden outburst.

"My leg... the bone in it... it made... me bad..."

Jaden's eyes widened. "Tyson? What do you mean it made you bad?"

Tyson's eyes went blank, much as Atticus's did when he was reliving an unpleasant memory. "It's evil... dark..."

Atticus caught it, and frowned. "That guy showed him something... Whatever it was, it has to do with the dinosaur bone in his leg."

"Tyson... your leg isn't evil... and you're not evil," Axel tried.

"No... It's bad... gotta get rid of it," the dinosaur-loving Ra moaned again, that horrible blank look still in his eyes.

"I'm not slapping him again," Jaden groaned softly, as his hand was still sore from the other night.

"Tyson, at least tell us why it's bad," Syrus tried. If they knew, then maybe they could snap him out of it.

Tyson blinked, the blank look going out of his eyes. "A dinosaur's life was hard... and it hunted... And it killed..."

"Is anyone making sense of what he's saying? 'Cause I'm not," Violet asked, scratching her head in confusion.

Bastion and Annie looked at each other, comprehension coming to them at the same time. "It's the dinosaur's life cycle," the dark-haired girl realized.

"The assailant made him feel guilty that the dinosaur that gave him his leg bone had to kill to survive," Bastion added.

"But how did he know the bone in Tyson's leg belonged to a carnivore??" Jesse questioned.

"Tyson, do you know for sure that it was a carnivore?" Jasmine asked, moving close to him.

"I...I don't know... but I think it is," the dreadlocked Ra answered shakily.

"You know... There should be a way to find out. There must've been records on the find and the surgery," Jim stated thoughtfully, a hand on his chin. Having studied paleontology, he knew they always kept fossil records. And it was common knowledge that medical records for surgeries would exist, especially for something as unique as a dinosaur bone to human body transplant.

"Jim, you're right! And the dig was in Utah... Now all we need to know is where, when and how everything occurred," Bastion agreed. "Adrian, mind lending a hand?"

"Yeah," the redheaded East Academy student answered, straightening his glasses. "I'll get in contact with a friend of mine while you gather some info!"

"Don't worry, Tyson. We'll get to the bottom of this," Atticus said reassuringly, placing a hand on the younger teen's shoulder.

Tyson nodded. "Th-thanks, guys..."

"I have an idea so if something gets one of us, we'll know when it happens," Axel said as they walked to their next class.

"Really? What's your idea?" Violet asked.

Axel held up his PDA. "I can rewire these things, with a little help, to transmit an emergency signal if we're either in a duel with whatever this is or if we're lost. The PDAs are left behind."

"I bet Bastion-baby could help you! He's great with that sort of thing! Annie, too!!" Violet said excitedly, grinning at her fiancé and best friend.

"Gladly," the two surrogate siblings asserted at the same time.

"I can help too," Adrian added eagerly.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

With the drop in the student body, the last two classes of the day were cancelled. The group got together at Dorothy's cafe and began their work. "Ouch!" Annie yelped as a circuit on Jesse's PDA shocked her.

"Are you okay, Annie?" Syrus asked, taking her hand and checking it for damage.

"Yeah... just a light shock, honey. Could you get me a cool washcloth?" she answered, flushing slightly.

"Sure." Syrus went to get one from Dorothy, while Violet glanced at Annie's injury, a first-degree electrical burn.

"Ouch. I know how that feels. Never experiment with a car battery, copper wire, and a metal baseball bat," the purple-haired Obelisk girl stated.

Annie's eyes widened as she got back to temporarily deactivating the power cell on the PDA. "Do I even want to know why, how or when?"

Violet sweat-dropped as Syrus returned with the cloth. "Let's just say I was testing a new cooking method and leave it at that...."

"Okay, then," Annie said, sweat-dropping as well and placing the cloth on her finger.

Bastion, meanwhile, had gotten the configuration in Adrian's PDA fixed and held it out. "Drop it, Adrian..."

"Drop it?"

"Drop it..." The red-headed boy did so and Jaden's PDA, already modified, let off beeping signals.

"It really works! This is great...now we won't have a repeat of what happened last time," Alexis said with enthusiasm borne of knowing at least one problem had been solved.

Jaden picked up his PDA and read the display numbers. "Oh, it has Adrian's number on it!"

"So we'll know who got taken," Atticus added, nodding. It was a really good idea.

"How's it coming, kids?" Dorothy asked, coming around with refills for their drinks.

"We've already got a few of 'em done, Miss Dorothy. And they're workin'!" Jesse answered excitedly.

"Good... I know you're going to figure this out and bring everyone back..." And with that vote of confidence, the gang redoubled their efforts. Within two hours, the PDAs were ready.

Bastion's eyebrows were lightly singed. "Note to self: never lean too closely to a malfunctioning PDA," he sighed.

Violet snickered. "I think they make you look even cooler. Besides, they'll grow back."

The Ra genius brushed at what remained of his eyebrows. "Hmm... could be worse. I lost them completely in junior high during a chemistry experiment..."

"Oh!! You too?!" Violet exclaimed, grinning.

"Has anyone else had that experience?" Bastion wondered.

"No... but I turned myself green!" Jaden grinned.

"You did what?!" Alexis asked, staring at her fiancé.

"Yeah! I was trying to make green glop in class... and it sort of exploded," the Slifer grinned sheepishly. "That was in fifth grade…"

Atticus grinned. "Reminds me of when I made a baking soda volcano for a science fair. I used a whole box of baking soda and a whole bottle of vinegar..."

Alexis grimaced at the memory. "The house and everyone in it reeked of vinegar for DAYS."

Chazz sized up his brother and future brother-in-law. "No wonder they don't want you two in the science lab at the same time."

"I don't see what the big deal is. Back home, I used to make mud bombs all the time. What Jay and Atty did sounds like a lotta fun!" Jesse stated with a grin.

"Figures you'd say that, Jesse... You weren't allowed in the science lab at North Academy because of an experiment that backfired when Chancellor Foster was in the room, right?" Chazz taunted.

Jesse sweat-dropped, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh yeah... I almost forgot about that... Chancellor Foster looked a heck of a lot scarier bald and covered in soot..."

"See what I mean? Twins," Chazz concluded, a little smugly.

"Well, back to our current problem," Mindy said, "it's good this is done... But how do we make sure no one just disappears?"

"Well...why don't we try to stay in pairs?" Atticus offered.

"Good idea, at least groups of two, maybe more," Adrian offered. "Maybe they won't..." And then a very sad, heartbroken cry rang from outside the cafe.

"Did you blokes hear that?!" Jim asked, Shirley giving a low growl by his feet. Something was making her go on the defensive, big time.

Everyone raced from the cafe and down the hall without a word. Right next to the lecture hall, a girl in a bright red blazer and pleated skirt was sobbing sadly, sitting on her knees. "Blair?" Jaden asked, moving close to her like a big brother concerned for his little sister.

"M-Marcel... Jaden, he's gone," she whimpered. Instinctively, he pulled the young girl into a hug.

"It's even worse than we thought... They're attacking in broad daylight," Alexis muttered.

Blair was shaking badly. "He dueled this big guy... called himself Trueman or Mr. T... And then... Marcel was crying about something being his fault," she moaned. "I couldn't save him..."

"That sounds like what he did to Tyson. He made you think that you were guilty because you had the bone of a carnivore in your leg," Syrus realized, putting the pieces together. Is that what this "Mr. T" character did to everyone?

Tyson nodded... and then the whole memory came back to him. "NOOOOOO!!!" He held his head, screaming the word from the depths of his soul.

Everyone in the group pulled back, shocked at the outburst that was an echo of the day before. "Tyson! Calm down," Atticus tried, grabbing onto the other's shoulders. He had an idea of how the dino-boy was feeling.

"I...remember... I was a dinosaur," Tyson gasped out.

"Wha..? A dinosaur??" Violet asked, blinking a few times.

"I don't know what happened... but I was back in the Jurassic Period... and... I ate a stego," Tyson moaned.

"We have to find out now," Annie asserted.

"Blair... come with us," Jaden invited gently, soothing her.

"O-okay," she answered getting shakily to her feet with his help.

Together the group headed for the Obelisk dorms to decide what to do now. "Half of Slifer is gone," Jaden groaned after checking the list that the teachers had set up online of an academy headcount.

"I checked, and apparently nearly an entire floor of girls is gone too," Alexis added.

Atticus sighed. "It's the same for the Obelisk guys. The dorms are starting to get empty, fast."

"Ra is no better. With the exception of Tyson, myself and Phil, as well as Professor Sartyr, the yellow dorm has been decimated," Bastion stated, his face grim.

"If we don't do somethin' fast, this is gonna be a deserted island," Jesse threw in, completely serious.

"Well, it ain't Survivor," Axel said, "and we don't want to vote people off; we want them back."

"We just need to figure out how to get them back, and stop them from getting taken," Jim agreed, hand resting on Shirley's head. She, like the duel spirits and students, was getting very uneasy because of the oncoming darkness.

Little Ojama Yellow and his brothers appeared, shaking. "Boss... I'm scared," Ojama Yellow whimpered, crablike eyes tearing up. "What if you get taken?"

"It'll... be bad," Chazz said tightly. It had taken a lot of therapy for him to be halfway nice to the Ojamas, and he now could recognize their fears and reassure them.

Red-Eyes Black Chick appeared as well, grabbing onto Atticus's shoulder. "Atty! I don't want to lose you again!" he squeaked fearfully.

Atty smiled reassuringly at the little dragon. "I won't, Chick... Not this time..."

Usagi appeared as well. "I can protect you, Annie... all of us scouts will... We won't let you fall..."

"Thanks, Usagi," Annie murmured gratefully, the light shining in her eyes.

Gyroid appeared near Sy. "I don't want you to fall, Syrus..."

"I'm not going to, Gyroid. I'm not leaving Annie..." Syrus replied, determined.

Watapon appeared on Violet's lap and squeaked, obviously worried. The purple-haired girl grinned and hugged him. "I'll be fine, Tiffles. No need to worry." And beside her, Water Dragon appeared, resting its large head on Bastion's shoulder.

Bastion smiled, brushing the dragon's wet snout. "Hello, Pacifica," he said. "We'll find a way to stop this... And I know you can help us..."

Cyber Tutu appeared before Alexis. "Me and the girls got your back, Alexis!"

The blonde Obelisk girl smiled. "Thanks, Cyber Tutu. I know I can count on you guys..."

Yubel, along with some of the Elemental Heroes, came into view around Jaden. "We're all here to help you, Jaden," she said.

Jaden grinned back, and then looked at Blair, lying on the couch while Maiden in Love brushed at her ebony hair. His expression went from happy to pained in an instant. "Blair... please talk to me..." But Blair just laid silently, tears rolling down her face.

"Bibi bi!!" Ruby called out, appearing suddenly.

Jesse blinked. "Ruby? What's up?"

"Biiii!" The fox-like duel spirit cried impatiently, scratching near the back of the couch Blair was lying on.

"Ruby, what is it?" Mindy asked as well, moving to where Ruby was pawing.

The group moved together and then Blair lifted her head. "Huh?"

A little figure moved from behind the couch, dressed in an old-style French army costume, but at the same time, it looked very much like an old fashioned child's toy. "Um... hello," it said nervously.

Hey...you look like one of Professor Bonaparte's toy soldiers!" Violet stated, remembering the duel between the short teacher and Dr. Crowler.

"But I'm Marcel's friend. His papa gave him to me when he first started dueling," Toy Soldier greeted.

"Marcel?" Blair asked, eyes widening.

Seaside Gull appeared, alighting on the edge of the couch. "A-ha! He is like me! He must have escaped from the dark world. I wonder if the other duelists' spirits managed to do so..."

"We all have duel spirits, but not all of us have the gift to see them... and we can lose the gift and regain it," Bastion realized. He had consciously ignored duel spirits when he'd decided to think of them as imaginary friends to be cast off, but his experiences at Duel Academy, especially this school year, had let him regain that ability.

"Toy Soldier, Marcel's in the dark world, right? Did you see anything else before you came back here?" Syrus questioned.

"A dark place," the little duel spirit said. "Marcel was trapped there... And others were too... I just got away..."

"So we know that they're all being taken to the same place," Alexis stated, frowning.

"And then we can get them all back," Jaden said, his eyes narrowing. "Okay... we have to figure out who stays where tonight... Blair, you need to stay with one of the gang tonight, okay?"

The eleven-year-old girl nodded. "Okay..."

"Blair... would you like to stay with Mindy and me?" Jasmine asked. "We have lots of room and no guys..."

"Okay," the little girl answered in the same soft voice.

"Aster, Chazz, Atty, you guys need to stay with someone too," Alexis realized, turning to the three.

Aster and Chazz looked at each other. "Good point... Trueman will come for either of us if we're alone," Aster realized.

"Yeah... bro, you can't be alone either," Chazz pointed out to his big brother.

Atticus nodded. "Well, since we can't pair up...why don't all three of us stick together?"

"Good idea, big bro... Let's do that... Aster... Want to?"

Aster nodded, smiling a little at the kindness. "It's kinda nice..."

Atty grinned, putting an arm across each of their shoulders. "It'll be like a big guys' sleepover!"

Aster nodded. "Yeah... like at the end of the summer." He'd found a sort of family in Darla and Will Truesdale and in the group at large. And now, he felt his family had expanded again.

That left the transfer boys. "Adrian, wanna bunk together?" Jesse asked, grinning.

"Uh... sure," Adrian answered. He wasn't thrilled with this arrangement, but knew it had to be done. 'I like talking with Echo every night... But she's on edge if I have someone in the room,' he thought.

"Guess that just leaves me and you, mate. Hope you don't mind crocodiles," Jim stated, turning to face Axel. Shirley grumbled in her crocodile speak at his feet, looking up at Axel like a scaly puppy. She blinked her large amber eyes at him, and Axel had to wonder if she was trying to charm him.

The African-American young man reached down and patted Shirley's leathery head. "Nah... I've been in jungles training to fight. Shirley's a lot nicer than any critter I've met there..." Jim figured the other wouldn't mind, but he was a little edgy about staying with another person. He had to unwrap his eye every night to check that nothing was getting infected, and he'd always been a bit self-conscious about it. Axel sensed the unease, but not the reason. "Dude, I won't bug you..."

Jim smiled. "I know ya won't, mate. No worries."

The group got their things together and headed to their rooms for the night. "Well, the room up here waited for us," Jaden said as he, Tyson and Alexis headed into the huge room Alexis and he had called home at the early part of the school year.

"Yeah... Gosh, it feels so...empty," Alexis muttered, looking around. Usually at this time of day, there would be at least a few students wandering the hallways. But it was just them now, and there was a slightly eerie silence.

Tyson looked around. "Yeah... This ain't right... We gotta end this..."

"We're going to, Tyson... somehow," Jaden agreed.

"I wonder if it's like this back in Domino," Alexis thought aloud, remembering that people were disappearing everywhere.

"Mom and Dad said people have been disappearing there too," Jaden answered as Tyson got comfortable in one of the three rooms and he and Alexis sat on the couch in the sitting room. The Slifer had called his parents to see what was going on back home. "Yugi and his whole gang are on edge..."

"I'm not surprised. They have their kids to look after..." Alexis couldn't imagine how frantic she'd be if it was the same for her and Jaden.

"And a lot of the student body disappeared from Domino Elementary..." And then, their PDAs went off with a ringtone that indicated big Academy news. Jaden thumbed his. "Oh, please, God, no," he moaned as he read the headlines. His face went white.

Alexis's eyes were wide, one hand covering her mouth. "Oh, no... This is horrible..."

Tyson came running in from his room. "Sarge!"

"We... We know," Jaden moaned in horror.

On the screen, it read, "_Breaking News: Children of Duelists Missing..."_ All three young adults scrolled down to read the story. "Domino City, CA, USA-- _Duelists Yugi Muto and Bakura Ryou are pleading for any information regarding the disappearances of their children. Alex Ryou, age 6, went to school with his twin sister, Amane, this morning but only Amane made it to school. The girl mentioned a man wearing a black outfit and carrying a strange duel disk. She was unable to say more to authorities as the child had been traumatized. Meanwhile, at the Pokey Oaks Preschool, Lily Muto was playing on the playground, according to her teachers, when a dark shadow covered the playground. When the shadow disappeared, the four-year-old girl was gone. Authorities are baffled to explain how the youngest child of duelist Yugi and his wife of nearly 12 years, Tea Muto occurred. Authorities also ask that people be on the lookout for the assailant that allegedly kidnapped Alex Ryou. -Please see sketch-"_

"This is... how can they go after little kids?!" Jaden yelped.

"It doesn't matter to them... They're just going after everyone, everywhere," Alexis muttered, in awe and disbelief.

"We have to get them back... all of them," Tyson growled. "Bakura must be worried sick... And Yugi and Teá too..."

"The sooner we stop this, the sooner everyone will be safe again," Alexis agreed, nodding.

"Yeah... sooner rather than later, babe," Jaden groaned.

In another part of the dorms, Chazz, Aster and Atticus were pulling on their pajamas. They too had seen the news. "Man... if that were one of us... Mom would be going crazy," Chazz sighed, remembering the two little kids who were now missing.

"Yeah... Especially after I already disappeared once," Atticus sighed, pulling on his pajama shirt.

Aster nodded. "I remember when my dad... died... I thought he was just missing... It hurt, not knowing where he was..." He took a breath. "To not know what happened to someone you love... It hurts... It's worse than actually knowing what happened."

Atticus nodded, offering the silver-haired teen a smile as he patted his back. "You're right... But we're going to make everything right again, somehow..."

"Yeah... They have to come home," Aster concluded softly, letting his carefully controlled mask slip as he had at the Truesdales late last summer. And then it was time to get in bed.

"Bro... can... Can I sleep in bed with you?" Chazz wondered.

Atticus blinked in slight surprise, but smiled in understanding. "Sure, little bro... Climb on in." He knew his brother was worried and needed comfort, so he, Atticus, would give that comfort. Aster wasn't sure he should intrude. Part of him really wished he had a brother like Chazz had one. And he prepared to head to the couch. But then Chazz whispered something to his brother.

The older Obelisk nodded, grinning. "Hey, Aster?" he called

"Yeah?" the younger boy asked.

"You wanna join us?"

"Really?" the silver-blonde asked, blue eyes wide, hardly daring to believe his luck.

"Yeah," Chazz answered. And so the Rhodes boys and the Phoenix boy climbed into the great big bed together. Atticus was in the middle; he didn't mind being the big brother of the three. He was used to it, after all. Besides, Aster was always so alone, he deserved a brother of some sort. Chazz, on Atticus's right, snuggled up close to his brother. He felt very safe with his big brother and instinctively knew no harm would come as long as they were together. Aster wasn't sure how to act, lying on Atticus's left. He longed to cuddle close, but wasn't sure if it was okay.

Atticus, sensing Aster's discomfort, smiled, and put an arm around him. He wouldn't pull the teen close, he'd let him decide doing that for himself. But the eldest Rhodes sibling wanted to show that it was indeed an option. Aster took the hint and cuddled. "Thanks, guys," he said softly, feeling as content as he had at the Truesdales and in his father's arms.

"No prob, Aster... Just relax," Atticus murmured, already drifting.

"Love you, bro," Chazz murmured, also falling asleep. Aster tried to form a coherent thought, but could not as he too drifted off to dreamland.

Back in the girls' dorm, Mindy, Jasmine and Blair fell asleep and dreamed of various things. And again in the boys' dorm, two more pairs of boys and one crocodile were getting ready for bed. Adrian opened his laptop and punched in the access code to call Echo. As far as the world knew, they were adopted siblings. But the truth was, they weren't and Adrian was glad of that. He had different-than-brotherly feelings for her, and that… well, if they were truly adopted siblings, there would be consequences.

"You'd better be available," he muttered.

Jesse had already changed into his pajamas, and was just walking past Adrian when he overheard his words. Leaning back to look over his shoulder curiously, he couldn't help but ask. "Who'd better be available, Adrian?"

"Uh... a friend of mine... We talk every night," Adrian answered quickly, trying to force down his blush.

Jesse blinked, then grinned. "Ya do? Wow. You must be some close friends."

"Yeah... well... She and I go way back. We've been friends since I came to live at the Geckos."

"Ooh..." And then Jesse, like any guy his age, couldn't help but tease his friend. Nudging him with an elbow, he smirked. "So it's THAT kinda friend..."

Adrian was _**not**_ used to this kind of teasing. "Uh... don't you have to talk with Ruby or something?!" he shot back without really thinking.

Jesse blinked in surprise, unused to someone getting this defensive. It was normal teasing for him and the guys back home. "Whoa, easy there, partner! I was just jokin' with ya a bit," he said quickly, holding up his hands in surrender.

"Sorry, Jesse," Adrian apologized, sweat-dropping. "That was... too harsh... I just... I'm touchy..."

Jesse smiled and clapped the bespectacled teen on the shoulder good-naturedly. "Hey, it's all right, Adrian. That was a bit personal, anyway. I guess I'm just used to jokin' around with the guys."

"Nah... I'm just not used to it... Besides... well, you guys'll find out later..."

Jesse scratched his head, but shrugged. "Whatever ya say. Anyway, if you wanted some privacy, I can always go in the other room."

"Thanks, man," Adrian answered gratefully. "Hey, after I'm done... My mom sent a care package and... have you ever had knishes?"

Jesse blinked. "Uh, no... What are they?"

"They're the Jewish version of calzones, and Mom sends me the dessert version. It's kind of like a fruit pie, but it's baked and it's much healthier."

"Well, I'm willin' to try anythin' once! Especially for dessert."

"Okay, then!" Adrian grinned, which, even with his time at Duel Academy Central, was still a rarity. Adrian made his call and when he finished, he got out his box of treats. "Okay, Jesse, you are about to taste Mom's knishes..."

When Adrian opened the box, Jesse grinned. "Well, they sure look good!"

They looked like fruit pies in shape only, but Adrian knew they tasted better than fruit pies. "Dig in, man!" he said, handing the Southern boy one of them.

Jesse didn't need to be told twice, and made an uncanny impression of Jaden scarfing down dessert. Practically eating it in two or three bites, he was left with a filling mustache and a happy belly. "Mmmm! Adrian, I ain't gonna lie to you; that was the best fruit pie I've ever tasted!"

"Yeah... Mom makes 'em good!" The two young men shared a laugh.

And in another room, Axel Brody was reading quietly. 'What am I missing?' he wondered as he read through the information on his computer.

Shirley was already sleeping in her spot on Jim's bed, and the Australian teen decided to check on his temporary roommate before checking his eye. "Axel, maybe you should take a rest, mate. Overworking yourself won't do any good," he said, sitting down beside him.

Axel rubbed his eyes and looked up at his human roommate. "I just keep thinking there's something I'm missing, Jim... When I was working for Professor Viper, I knew what to expect from him... But with this... I need to find the pattern..."

"That may be true, but the more you stress your body, the harder it's gonna be. Even a soldier should know when to stop and take a breather," Jim tried again, offering the other a reassuring smile.

"Yeah... you're right, man... I'd better get my pajamas on. Mama says I need to relax a lot more than I do," Axel admitted, setting his laptop down on the desk in front of him.

"That's the spirit! I'll go ahead and save your work for you. Go and get changed." Jim knew it would only take seconds to save, and he could use the time to check his eye without Axel seeing.

"Oh, thanks," Axel answered gratefully, getting up and handing the computer to his friend. He patted Shirley on the way to the bathroom to change.

Jim saved and booted down the computer in a flash, then set it aside along with his hat. Walking over to a wall mirror that was a feature of the room, he carefully unwound his bandages. The metallic, glimmering red Orichalcum eye made itself known in an instant, and Jim began checking around it for any signs of possible infection. He'd had to learn to do this while a child, and it had become a nightly ritual that he kept to himself.

Axel got himself ready for bed very quickly, holding his dad's dog tags in his hand for a moment. 'I know you're with me, Dad... And I'm going to complete this mission,' he thought, closing his eyes for a long moment. And then he exited the bathroom to see Jim and his eye. "Hey," he greeted nonchalantly.

Jim jumped slightly; it was the only time anyone could ever surprise him. Quickly covering the eye with a hand, he turned to nervously face the other. He really hoped Axel hadn't seen that. To tell a person was one thing, but usually when they saw it things got awkward and uncomfortable, fast. "Uh...hey."

Axel decided to say something. "Hey, I'm an army brat. I've seen guys with prosthetic hands or legs, eye patches... all kinds of things. It's all right. And no big deal..."

Jim blinked his one good eye, staring at the other young man in surprise. He supposed he should have known, but precaution had become second nature. Removing his hand, Jim sighed. "Sorry, mate... Most people aren't really comfortable when they see stuff like this."

Axel looked at the metallic eye but didn't flinch. "Wow... how'd you get that? If you don't mind my asking, of course?"

Jim went and sat down, placing a hand on Shirley's head. "I don't mind at all. It happened when I was just a kid..." And so he explained about the trap, and how he had narrowly rescued Shirley. How he had fallen over a cliff and awakened with one eye plus the Orichalcum. Jim also told Axel about the prophecy the old guru had told him.

"...So someday, you might save someone," Axel said when his friend had finished. "Hmmm... I learned when I was a little kid that everyone's given a special purpose in life... a reason for being here, and sometimes we don't know how long it'll take before we know for sure what it is. I think you have a really good one..."

Jim smiled happily, pulling out a new roll of bandages from his pocket. "Thanks, mate... I'm sure you have a great purpose too. We'll both find out what they are eventually," he replied as he wrapped his eye.

"Yeah... Shall we get to bed?"

"Good idea." Jim stood, placing his hat back on his head as he nodded.

The two young men headed to their respective beds and got in. "Hey, Jim? What were the mattresses like at South Academy?" Axel asked with a slight grin.

"Actually, we had a choice between a mattress and a hammock if we wanted. I chose the hammock," Jim explained with a grin.

"Well, we should've had a choice between a mattress and the floor. I'd have chosen the floor," Axel countered. "I think Professor Viper got them from an army surplus store... they had to be vintage World War II..."

"So then I'm guessin' you're glad to be here for a while, eh?"

"Oh yeah... no visit to the chiropractor on this mattress... Night, Jim! Night, Shirley!"

"Night, Axel!" Shirley growled in response, and the three were asleep in no time

_So Marcel is missing and some of the kids of the duelists are missing, along with citizens of Domino and around the world. The group has decided there is strength in numbers and has initiated an emergency system. And despite all the pain, there is still love and warmth in the world. Next time, join us for "Moonlight Through the Cloudy Night." So until then, please read, review and stay tuned. We respond to every review that we can, so review! Thank you very much!_


	24. Moonlight Through a Cloudy Night

Chapter XXIV: Moonlight Through a Cloudy Night

_Hi, everyone, and welcome back to "Darkness Falls!" As you all know, for about a day, no one could review. But we know that you read thanks to the three reviews we got and the traffic counters! So thanks for reading and we know the rest of you would've reviewed if you could have! So on with the show! And here to summarize the last chapter's events is none other than Duel Academy's Professor… wait, what?... Okay… As I was saying, introducing Professor Benjamin Stein… --Peach drinks some Red Bull as a precaution*_

_--__**Professor Stein walks on stage--**__ Hello, audience… Last time, the school lost how many of its students? Anyone? Anyone? Half of the student body went missing, along with… Anyone? Anyone? Marcel Bonaparte and Alex Ryou and Lily Muto. The students in… Anyone? Anyone? Jaden Yuki's group decided it was best to room together. There was some brotherly bonding and some needed humor… Peach… Peach? Peach…. PEACH! –Peach is dancing the Charleston on a flagpole, thanks to Red Bull giving her wings—_

_--Peach gets down from the flagpole and grins happily—Wow! It worked! It gave me wings! Oh, yeah! I have to do the disclaimer! Okay, Ani and I don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. We just own our story, our OCs, our version of the Yugi-verse and our interpretations which may definitely deviate from canon, either by accident or design… WHEEE!!! –Peach flies off as Stein places his face in his palm—_

_**Warning**__: There is a make-out scene in this chapter. It's not too graphic, but still… it deserves a warning. Thank you!_

The next morning came, and no one had been lost in the night. "We didn't lose anyone," Dr. Crowler said to Professor Stein. "Not last night... not after... Marcel..."

Stein nodded; all the staff knew that Bonaparte had taken the loss of his son very, very hard. "Maybe this is a sign that things will get better..."

"I hope so... and I hope we can figure out how to get those children back," Vellian sighed as Jean-Louis Bonaparte came into the staff room. He clearly had not slept the past night and his eyes were puffy and red from crying.

"Bonjour, everyone," the rotund teacher greeted, his voice hoarse.

"Jean, are you feeling well?" Professor Sartyr, also in the staff room, asked worriedly.

"My boy is gone... my sweet boy," Jean Louis moaned sadly. "I had to call his mother... she yelled at me... and I don't blame her... I couldn't protect him..."

"Jean...there was nothing anyone could do. Whatever this is...it attacks when we least expect it," Ben Stein tried, hoping to comfort his colleague.

"Ben... he's my child...I'm supposed to..."

"He knows his father loves him, wherever he is now, Jean-Louis... The best of parents can't protect their children from everything," Fonda Fontaine said gently, moving to place her hand on his shoulder.

"But..." Jean-Louis couldn't put it into words, but he knew that a very important part of himself had been lost with Marcel. "I'm his father... and I should be able to prevent such things..."

"That may be partially true, Jean. But you cannot protect him from everything in his life. This is one of those times," Don Sartyr tried again, wanting to help his friend.

The chubby French instructor took a deep breath. "I...I know... What Antoinette said last night when I told her," Jean-Louis sighed, hearing his ex-wife's shrill angry screams in his ears yet.

"Jean-Louis... she was reacting from being a very worried mother... When she talks to you later, I'm sure she'll be more reasonable," Fonda soothed.

"I hope so... I'll be talking to Josephine later," he sighed, referring to his current and very serious girlfriend. "She's heartbroken..." The pretty French-American woman had fallen whole-heartedly in love with Marcel when she'd seen pictures of him. And when she'd met him, Josephine had kept that adoration. And early this morning when Jean-Louis called her to let her know the boy was missing, she had cried with him over the phone.

"Well, Jean, everyone is working hard to find a way to get these children back. I think Jaden's group is even making more progress than anyone else," Sartyr stated encouragingly.

"Jaden... he will help us," Jean-Louis smiled, hope coming back to his eyes.

"Don's right. They've already thought of a way to alert a student's disappearance," Ben added, smiling and straightening his glasses.

"Oh?"

And Vellian explained about the PDAs. "They intend to modify ours as well, just in case..."

"Good idea," Viper stated with a slight smile that in anyone else would be a grin. "That came from Axel Brody. He's just like his father..."

"He was in the army, wasn't he?" Sartyr asked.

"He was... and under my command for a while. He was a good strategist and tactician... He died far too soon..." Viper remembered Martin Brody as a great fighter who'd been killed doing something terribly heroic. And he knew his son carried on the family's heroic legacy.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

All that day, everyone went to class and did what they had to. What was left of the student body had a huge picnic lunch out near Monster Row, combining the cafeteria food from all three dorms. "Mmm... We can do fried shrimp and lobster tails!" Annie grinned, shishkabobing said seafood along with some fresh vegetables.

Syrus laughed, picking out his own lunch. "I don't think we've ever done anything like this before. We should do it more often."

"Yeah," Jaden grinned, his face full of a special Japanese treat on skewers called teppanyaki dango. "I know the circumstances are lousy, but... this is fun!"

Alexis sighed and handed her fiancé a napkin, a slice of Professor Sartyr's homemade foccacia bread in her other hand. "Just try not to overeat and get sick, Jaden... Or make a huge mess."

"Babe, I'll be good," he promised.

"Think Flaming Mushroom, Slacker," Chazz reminded him drily.

"Chazz... I can eat politely," Jaden countered, sulking.

Atticus laughed, ruffling Chazz's midnight black hair. Unfortunately, he had been eating corn on the cob beforehand, though he didn't seem to notice that his hands were covered in the stuff. "Come on, bro! Lighten up and enjoy the picnic!"

"Bro! You got corn in my hair!" the raven-haired Rhodes shouted, getting a throbbing forehead vein.

"Heh... Chazz is corny! Get it?!" Jaden whooped, and most of the group face-palmed.

Violet, however, snorted and laughed at Jaden's joke. "God, how many times has dad or Bobby made that same joke?? It's gotta be the oldest pun out there!"

"Old as the hills," Bastion sighed, chuckling lightly.

"TARNATION!! Jim!!!" Jesse yelped, diving behind Jaden suddenly. Shirley came barreling towards the two of them like a bull with scales, zeroing in on the Slifer and his double.

"What the heck!" Jaden yelped, seeing the large crocodile move at such speed. "Shirley?!!!"

"I've got her!" Jim shouted, tackling his reptilian friend like an expert crocodile wrangler. Jesse peeked out from behind Jaden, a familiar piece of jerky in his hand. It looked a lot like the special jerky Dorothy ordered for Shirley.

"What's the matter, girl?" Jaden asked the large crocodile. "What happened?!" His heart was pounding a mile a minute.

Jim sighed in exasperation, still holding his reptilian friend. "Jesse!! I set down Shirley's treat on the table for five seconds, and you mistake it for normal food! Crikey, mate, throw it here!"

Jesse blinked, looked at the jerky, blinked again, and then sweat-dropped. "Oh...so then this is...? Whoops. Sorry, Shirley!" he called as he tossed her the dried-up meat, which she snapped up gladly as Jim let go.

Everyone looked a little bit stunned. "Uh... wow," Aster stated. "Never mess with a croc and her treat."

Jim patted Shirley's head. "No, you definitely don't want to do that, mate. You're lucky I got to her before she got to you, Jesse."

Jesse sighed in relief, shifting to sit beside Jaden. "Yeah...uh, sorry to scare ya like that, Jay. I sorta hid behind the closest thing I could find...heh..."

"It's... okay," the Slifer stuttered, eyebrow twitching. It would take a little bit before he got over the shock.

Alexis sent Jesse a warning glare. "Jesse... If anything had happened to Jaden, you'd be Shirley's next treat. I suggest using someone else as a shield next time," she growled.

Jesse shivered, backing away from the very threatening Obelisk girl. "U-Uh...sure thing, A-Alexis..."

"Lex... I'm fine," Jaden managed to say. "No need to get mad at Jesse... He didn't know!"

She sighed. "You're right, Jay... Next time, move," Alexis countered, tugging on his cheek teasingly.

"Good idea... Jim? Shirley wouldn't have hurt us, would she?" Jaden asked, still looking scared.

Jim glanced away, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, er... She can be pretty unpredictable when it comes to her food..."

Jaden's eyes went wide, his breathing went shallow and his face went pale. He crashed to the ground, unconscious. "JADEN!" several people yelled.

Alexis grabbed his hand, checking his pulse. "He's okay...he just passed out. And I'm not surprised..." She was relieved and still a little bit mad at her fiancé's twin. But it would pass.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

The next week passed and the students dared breathe. But of course, everyone expected more to happen. "Three weeks... we're going to have to move back the wedding," Annie sighed on the week anniversary of Rosa's disappearance.

Syrus frowned. "And we haven't gotten any closer to figuring things out..."

Bastion sighed. "It will come... Logic dictates that there will be a solution..."

"Hopefully sooner rather than later," Violet added.

"Yeah... Tyson's so sad," Annie sighed again.

"I'm really getting worried about him. What if they come after him and try to take him too?" Syrus thought aloud.

"No... it can't happen that way," Annie moaned.

"It's not going to. We'll figure this out before they start taking people again," Violet stated, determined.

"I hope so," the other young bride to be said, worriedly. Bedtime was approaching, and the couples headed for their rooms.

"We need to get them all back," Bastion sighed as he pulled on his favorite Star Trek-themed sleep shirt.

"I know. But it's like we hit a dead end...we need more information," Violet replied, slipping into a knee-length, pink cotton nightgown for once.

"Honest has told us everything he knows," Bastion sighed. "And yet... nothing..."

"We'll find a way...somehow... We just have to," Violet muttered, walking over to hug him.

Bastion hugged back. 'I won't lose her again,' he thought, smelling her scent. He had a feeling Trueman or Darkness would target one or both of them. But he would not allow Violet to be taken if he could help it.

Violet closed her eyes, smiling and comfortable in Bastion's strong arms. 'I won't let them take you,' she thought. She, too, knew that they were obvious targets. But she wouldn't let him get dragged off to some dark world. And so one couple lay down in their warm bed to sleep.

Meanwhile, in the other room, Annie kissed Sy deeply. Syrus returned the kiss, arms wrapping around her to pull her close. Annie pressed against him, just again wanting to forget the threats for the moment. She rubbed her hands up and down his back, then moved her lips to his cheek and neck. Syrus tilted his head back to give her more room, eyes closing. Part of him wanted to forget as well, while part of him felt too worried. She moved down his collarbone, nibbling gently and sucking softly. Some of her mind might be telling her to cool it, but her hormones and the part of her that needed blissful forgetfulness were more dominant at the moment.

He moaned softly, hands moving down to her sides. What she was doing was making his hormones block out all worries and thoughts of pulling away. She moved her lips back to his, shivering at his touch. She put her arms around him, falling back on the bed. He brushed his tongue against her lips, asking for entrance as his hands ran up and down her sides. She gladly obliged, keeping her hands running up and down his back as their tongues began dancing. A warning was going off in her head, but the warm feeling in her body was stronger. He broke the kiss, about to move down to her jaw when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He yelped, falling over off of Annie and nearly off the bed.

She blinked and gasped in shock as the contact broke. "Huh? Sy? What's wrong?" she asked, sitting up, red in the face from their kiss.

He shivered, staring at a shadowy corner of the ceiling. He could have swore that he saw eyes, but now there was nothing but black. "N-Nothing... I just… thought I saw something, that's all..."

She panted a little, feeling her body come down from where it was. "H-honey... oh my... What... did you see?"

He frowned, looking back at her. "I...I thought I saw...eyes..."

"Eyes?" she asked.

He nodded. "Red eyes...but... they're gone. I must have been seeing things..."

"Red eyes," she muttered, making herself remember. "Sy... oooh... what were we doing?"

He blushed. "Uh...m-making out..."

"It... almost felt different," she admitted softly. "Like we were... going further..."

His blush reddened. "Y-You think so?" It had felt that way for him too, but he wasn't sure if admitting it would be a good thing.

She wondered herself, but then considered what was ultimately best for them. "Y-yeah... it... felt amazing..." Her cheeks were already flushed a deep pink and they shaded to red at this.

"It...it did," he muttered in agreement, looking away.

"Sy... Sy, honey, look at me," she pleaded softly. He did so, his nervousness obvious. "Honey...it's nothing to be ashamed of," she said gently.

"I-I know... I'm just...nervous," he admitted, blush thick on his face.

"About us?" she asked, "Or... what's going on?"

"I...don't know... Maybe both..."

"Then... let's talk it out..." She helped him back up on the bed, and they sat against the pillows.

"But I don't know what to talk about," he muttered.

She slipped her hand into his, noting his was a little sweaty. "What are you nervous about with me?"

"Well, we're not married yet... What if... I mean, we," he stammered, unable to find the right words.

"It's hard to wait just a few more weeks," she admitted, looking into his eyes.

"And...I also don't want to...um, hurt you... If we...you know..." He blushed.

She took a deep breath. "Sy... if you did... it'll only be for a minute and then it should be okay.... But... you're going to be gentle..." She kept her gaze locked with his. "Please don't worry. What else is on your mind?"

"I'm also nervous...because it's been so long since anyone's gone missing. It's like...they could attack at any second... What are they waiting for...?" He bit his bottom lip, thinking aloud more than talking to her.

She changed her grip so she was holding him, her arms around him. "Whatever they're waiting for... they want to draw this out..."

He sighed, leaning into her embrace. "I'm worried that...when they attack again...it's going to be worse..."

"Honey, it may be, but... all we can do is hope, pray and plan..."

"You're right... Maybe we should get some sleep, then..."

"Yeah... we're going to have long days ahead," she sighed, opening the bed so they could snuggle down.

"At least at night...maybe we can relax," he murmured, pulling her close.

"Yeah... And Sy? I'm glad we're talking about all this..."

"Me too... It's better than keeping it to yourself...isn't it?"

"Yeah," she answered. "I think that's a strength and we feel... lighter when we talk..." He yawned, nodding. The couple didn't know it, but they were edging closer to the solution they were searching for. But tonight it was too late, and they were both too tired to stumble upon it just yet.

He curled around her and she held his hands with hers. "Night, honey," she murmured.

"Night, Annie..."

THESKILLEDDREAMEATERWILLBEDEFIEDBYTHEUNDERSTANDINGHEALER

It was three in the morning when, in Bastion and Violet's room, Violet began to moan in her sleep. Bastion, lightly sleeping, awoke and muttered, "Violet?"

"Guys...." Violet muttered in a strained, frantic voice. Darkness had decided to wreak havoc again, and had seeped into her dreams to change them into a horrible nightmare. Violet had found herself alone in a classroom in the main building, oddly holding her math book. However, upon looking around she had seen most of the group, and had excitedly run over to them. But something was wrong... "Guys? Uh, hello! Guys!! Annie?" Violet shook the brunette's shoulder, but received no response. Everyone continued chatting about this or that, and she found herself confused. Why were they ignoring her? "Jay? Alexis?" she tried, tapping them on the head. Nothing. Not even a blink or a sidelong glance. Violet frowned, getting a sinking feeling in her stomach as she stepped back. This...it reminded her too much of how things had been back home. Everyone ignoring her, not caring what she thought except for her friends. At least her friends weren't—

"Would you just get out of here already?! We don't want you here!" Violet's jaw dropped, her heart stopping. Of all people, it had been Annie who spoke, sending her a glare. "A-Annie...what..."

"You heard her! Why don't you go hang out with your stupid Bastion-baby!!?" Syrus interrupted in a teasing tone, causing the others to laugh.

Violet's eyes stung with tears that wanted to form, but she held them back and shook her head. "No...no, not again... Bastion-baby, please..." she whispered, turning to run. But she stopped dead at what she saw near the top of the stairs. "Bastion?!" He was there, all right. But he was quite clearly kissing someone who was NOT her. In fact, it almost seemed like two girls. As if she was changing between Triana and Taniya. In both the real world and the dream world, tears slipped down her cheeks. And in the real world, her cheek started burning like it had in the summer. "Bastion.....no.....why...."

Bastion, in the real world, saw the tears. "Violet?! Violet, darling, wake up..." He shook her gently and then did what he wasn't sure he should do. He kissed her lovingly on the lips. 'Please work,' he thought.

Violet's body felt the kiss, and her mind slowly pulled out of the nightmare. But Darkness had one more trick to play. Using an old type of nightmare, he had her believe that she had awakened. But in fact, she was still asleep. So when she opened her eyes, it wasn't Bastion she saw, but the startling face of Mike. Thus, in reality she gave Bastion a rough shove, face tensing.

Bastion's gray eyes widened in shock as he crashed to the floor. "Violet?! It's me! It's Bastion!" he called out in horror.

Violet's eyes snapped open, awake for real this time. Breathing in heavy and shaky breaths, she felt the tears still streaming down her face and shuddered. "Wh-What? Bastion??" Violet stammered out, fingers clutching at the bed sheets.

He sat up from his position, rear end sore. "Violet... you had a nightmare, didn't you?" he asked, pulling himself up and getting back on the bed. "What happened?"

She stared at him for a few moments, remembering what she had seen. Curling into herself, Violet shivered and sniffled, wiping at her tears. "I...I don't w-want to talk about i-it," she muttered, frowning. What would Bastion say? What would her friends say? It was a horrible thing to dream.

Bastion jerked back almost imperceptibly, but said, "I'll get you some tissues and a wash cloth, all right? Then... maybe you could talk?"

Violet sniffed, nodding. "M-Maybe..." She knew she should trust Bastion, but right now her mind was terrified and on-edge. He padded into the bathroom, got the tissues and a damp washcloth and returned to the bedroom. He took the washcloth and gently moved to wipe her face. She involuntarily flinched away, and instantly realized what she had done and regretted it. Frowning, she took his hand and let him help her clean up. "I-I'm sorry...Bastion..."

He met her eyes and then put an arm around her. "Was the dream about me?" he asked as she took some tissues.

She took a moment to blow her nose, dabbing at the few tears still in her eyes. "...P-Partly...a little..." she muttered, gaze locked on bed.

He changed how he was holding her so he was hugging her almost fully but allowing her the space to get out of it if she needed to. "Darling... I know you're frightened... And I understand if you aren't ready to tell me. But I wish you would tell me so I can help you. Please, love..."

She drew in a shaky breath, looking up at him with red, puffy eyes. "...O-Okay... I'll tell you..." Gaze becoming downcast again, Violet took a few moments to collect her thoughts before speaking. She told him about the classroom and failing to get anyone's attention. How their friends had mocked and teased her out of the blue. And last she told him, in a partial stutter, how he had been included in the awful nightmare.

Bastion gasped. "Oh, darling... it was a replay of what happened back in Ohio, wasn't it?" he murmured, placing his lips on her forehead.

Violet shook, Bastion reading her like a book. "Y-Yeah... But with all of you..." The dream had, in fact, been an illustration of her deepest fear.

"You're terrified we'll turn on you... Violet," Bastion said slowly, "we wouldn't... I wouldn't. I love you and only you... You are the only one I have truly ever wanted..."

Violet looked up, meeting his eyes and seeing the sincere truth in them. She wanted to believe him with every fiber of her being, she wanted to forget her fears. But they gripped her heart tightly, like a leech that wouldn't let go. But she pushed the feeling away for now and managed a small smile. "I-I know... You're the only one I love, Bastion...and I trust you... I don't want anyone else..."

He made the hug a little tighter. "And our friends will tell you themselves that they will not abandon you. I don't know if Annie told you, but she doesn't abandon friends..." Bastion knew something about the dark brown-haired Obelisk girl that a big brother figure would know, and that was that she had a pure heart that wouldn't allow her to abandon her friends even if they abandoned her.

She buried her face in his chest, feeling thoroughly comforted and safe. "Yeah...she told me... And I trust her too...and our other friends... It was just...a silly nightmare, that's all," she mumbled, voice slightly muffled.

"But... it frightened you," he countered softly.

"Don't all nightmares?" she muttered, a bit snappily. She bit her lip, not meaning to sound that way. She just wanted to forget it and leave the subject behind.

He knew and recognized her look of contrition. "They do... and... I wish I could protect you from that as well..."

"You do... You wake me from it," she reminded, looking up at him once more.

"Think we can manage getting back to sleep?"

"I-I think so..."

"Okay..." Together they lay down in the soft bed again, and Bastion asked, "What can I do to help you relax, love?"

"Just hold me," Violet whispered, eyes closed. "And don't let me go," she added almost inaudibly.

Bastion did as she asked, also rubbing her back softly. "Shh... I'm right here," he murmured soothingly. Violet sighed, slowly relaxing until she slipped into dreamland for the second time that night. Bastion lay awake after she fell asleep. 'Why must I keep failing her? I can't even take the pain for her...' Little did he know with those thoughts he was feeding the enemy information that would take him when the time was right. And Darkness, having accomplished what he'd set out to do, disappeared back to his own world. The rest of the night passed peacefully without incident.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

The next day at lunch time... "IT CAME!" Annie whooped happily, dancing around as she held up her PDA.

Syrus nearly fell out of his chair in surprise at Annie's outburst. "Uh...what came??"

"Yeah, what?" the others asked at nearly the same time.

"The information from Professor Galen at the University of Utah came, and it's about your leg, Tyson and the dinosaur that it came from!" she squealed in what the group now knew as her Hyper Annie mood.

"Sam Hill...she's happy," Tyson muttered.

"Well, now we'll know whether that Mr. T dude was telling the truth or not," Violet said with a grin, nudging Tyson with her elbow.

Tyson tensed. "Annie, have you read it?"

"Not yet... I'm opening it..." She tapped a button on the PDA and the email opened. "'Dear Miss Hanson: Thank you very much for your inquiry regarding the dig of 5 years ago. The bone donated to your friend was that of a Camptosaurus,'" Annie read, and then looked at Tyson, her eyes wide. "That's... that's an herbivore..."

The group gave a collective sigh of relief. "He really was lying," Alexis stated, half-surprised and yet at the same time not.

"His name's Trueman... True, my pasty white butt," Chazz growled.

"Is there more to it, Annie?" Tyson asked, on the edge of his seat.

"Yeah... 'We can determine that this dinosaur likely died from starvation when the earth's climate changed. A Tyrannosaurus Rex was not responsible.' He was lying... Tyson, that vision he showed you... it was wrong!" Annie grinned.

"Who knows how many times he's probably lied to the other people he's taken," Atticus added, frowning.

Blair looked up from her chicken teriyaki lunch. "Marcel... Trueman told him... it was his fault his mom and dad got divorced..."

"I doubt that's the truth, but we'd need to ask Professor Bonaparte to find out," Jim replied.

"But Marcel must've blamed himself," Adrian answered, "and that creep used it against him... How low..."

"Hmmm... they target us at our vulnerabilities," Bastion muttered thoughtfully.

"That would make sense... Everyone has a weakness, right?" Violet agreed.

"Yes... but how is he using it?" Bastion wondered.

"We have to figure that out, and soon," Axel sighed.

But just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch and the start of afternoon classes. "Well, Bastion-baby and I have math. Since we know most of it already, we'll keep thinking," Violet stated as she stood.

The group got up and headed out to their different classes, calling their traditional "See you laters," but on impulse, Annie moved and hugged her best friend. "Forget what the nightmare said... I'd never abandon you," she said firmly.

Violet blinked in surprise, but then grinned and hugged her friend back. "I know, Annie. Like I said, it was just a nightmare. See you after classes!" She replied as she pulled away, running to catch up with Bastion.

"See you!" Annie called as they moved away. As she and Syrus walked with the rest of the group, she shivered.

Syrus caught it and looked over at her. "Something wrong, Annie?"

She looked at him and smiled sheepishly. "I'm not sure... maybe someone just stepped on my grave..."

His eyes widened. "Wh-What!?"

"It's an old saying," she answered, blushing.

He sweat-dropped. "O-Oh...uh, what's it supposed to mean? I've never heard it before..."

"Really?" she asked in surprise. "Well, it's based on an old wives' tale to explain why we shiver sometimes for no reason..."

"But...how can someone step on your grave if you're still alive?"

"It's a future thing. A person or an animal walks over the place that'll be your grave someday... Preferably about 100 years from now," Annie answered, smiling softly.

Syrus scratched his head, but decided to just go with it. "Oh...okay."

"I don't get it either," she answered as they kept walking. And so the period went on.

The classes for that period seemed to fly by, since it was almost the year's end and most exams were done with. The same was so for Violet and Bastion's math class, the bell ringing and surprising them both. "Goodness, did it go that quickly? Finals will be a breeze in two weeks," Bastion stated with a smile.

Violet grinned as they stood and headed up the stairs. "You got that right. A heck of a lot easier than this mess..."

Bastion abruptly sobered. "There has to be a solution for this... Somehow..."

"We're getting closer, at least. I mean...the breakthrough we had at lunch should help," she mused as they made it to the top of the stairs and headed out the door.

"Yeah... Three weeks to the wedding," he sighed. "Well... perhaps something will come to us... Shall we head to the next class, love?"

"Yea-oh! Shoot, I forgot my math book!" she groaned, smacking her forehead.

"Oh, all right. Darn!" Bastion groaned as he tripped on his shoelace. "Darling, I'll be right with you! My shoe is untied!"

Violet had already started running back, and she flashed a grin over her shoulder. "Okay!" She made it to the classroom in seconds, going down the stairs to her seat. "A-ha! There you are, you naughty math book... Making me come all the way back to class," she muttered, grabbing it.

And then the room abruptly darkened and the air chilled by about ten degrees. "Hello there, Violet Haverbrook," a menacing tenor voice said.

_Yes… a cliffhanger, everyone. Darkness is raising the stakes now with a strike at the heart of the gang. Will Violet be able to stand up to Trueman's lies, or will Darkness claim another member of the gang? Next time, please join us for __**Piercing Night!**__ Until then, please read, review and stay tuned. And if you're posting anonymously and would like a response, please remember to leave your email with us. Thank you!_


	25. Piercing Night

Chapter XXV: Piercing Night

_Welcome back everyone, to another chapter in Darkness Falls, part of the Peach/Ani alternate Yugi-verse. Today, we bring you a special treat! Ani and I are doing the intro!_

_-Ani steps onto the stage with a wireless game controller in hand- Uh, yeah. Hi. Been a while if I've done this, so... Peach'll probably be doing most of the recap. -Ani sweat-drops-_

_No worries, Ani! Anyway, we were glad to get your reviews and we apologize if anyone was missed in the reviews! Just let us know if you were missed._

_-Ani gives a sheepish grin- Peach handles those; I just get to read 'em. I really don't do anything aside from write and come up with ideas or chapter titles. But anyway, Peach, why don't you go ahead and remind our good readers what happened last time in this dark story of ours?_

_--Peach smiles sheepishly-- Okay... this is indeed a disturbing universe... Last time, our heroes banded together along with the rest of the school after Marcel was taken and Jaden and Jesse almost became crocodile treats. Then late at night, Violet had a horrible nightmare showing her friends betraying her. And then, the next day, Trueman came. Will Violet be able to escape, or will Darkness claim another victim?_

_--Ani takes a deep breath and continues-- As you can probably guess, I decided to do this intro with Peach, seeing as one of my own OCs is in danger. However, you're not getting a spoiler out of me. You'll have to read to see whether she stays or goes. And I'm also not going to guarantee that Peach will pull out of the evil cliffhangers. You know you enjoy them. -Ani smirks knowingly-_

_-Peach chimes in-- Well, now that that's out of the way... Let's get a few things straight. We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise!_

_--Ani nods in agreement-- Duh! If we did, do you really think Bastion would have been tossed to the side in the show like he was? I don't think so! But I'm not going to start ranting. I'll spare you poor readers. Just don't go thinking we own the franchise, 'cause we don't!_

_--Peach starts again-- I own Annie Hanson, of course, and I'm the reason she has the Moon Kingdom deck._

_--Ani grins-- And I own Violet and Rosa, as well as most of the cards in their decks. Aliens, music, wrestling, and bull-fighting! Wooo!! -Ani throws her controller, and the sound of a crash followed by Chazz cursing is heard- Oops. I DIDN'T DO IT!!!_

_-Chazz from his position yells-- SLACKER!_

_--Jaden yells from where he is-- I didn't do it! _

_--Bastion looks up from behind the stage-- It was Violet's counterpart in that other universe..._

_-Violet pokes her head out of a costume trunk backstage- Bastion! Don't talk! She'll hear you- AGH!! THERE SHE IS!! Run, Bastion-baby, run! -there is now only a puff of smoke where Ani was standing and screams and crashes can be heard behind the stage--_

_--Peach sighs-- Oh, brother... Not again... _

_--Annie peers out from an alcove-- Okay... I guess we need to start this story... But there are a couple of authors' notes... Yet another light make-out scene, I'm yelling as Bastion is, which for the latter might seem OOC, and... Is that it?_

_-Peach nods as Bastion comes running through the stage-- CALL HER OFF!! AAAAHHH!!!_

_-Ani is close on the genius boy's heels, arms outstretched- BUT BASTION!! JUST ONE HUG!! THAT'S ALL I WANT!!!_

_-Violet is also seen chasing after the both of them- The last time you hugged him you wouldn't let go!! HE'S MINE!!!_

_-Peach groans- Curtain... -And the curtain falls-_

And then the room abruptly darkened, becoming colder by ten degrees. "Hello there, Violet Haverbrook," a menacing tenor voice said.

Violet yelped, book slipping from her grasp as she flipped around. She instantly felt a chill come over her, guessing who the person was even if she had never seen him. "H-How do you know my name??"

"I know everything about you, including your deepest, darkest fears... My name... is Trueman. But you may call me Mr. T," the tall man in the dark jumpsuit stated.

Violet didn't feel more comfortable when her suspicions were confirmed, but she did go on the defensive. "I figured it was you. I already know what you're going to try to do, but it won't work! So you might as well leave!"

"Oh... but you know I'm right about this... You're afraid your friends will abandon you... like they did before..." Trueman knew, thanks to Darkness's information, about Violet's nightmares. And he also knew what to do with the information.

Violet's confidence faltered for a moment, quite obviously. "S-So what if I am? I trust them...I know they won't abandon me, ever! They even said so themselves!!"

"Maybe... but feelings can change... Including feelings of love," Trueman countered, beginning to draw on Darkness's powers.

Violet knew THAT all too well, but she wasn't about to let him win. "Maybe that's true. But I have a stronger bond with my friends now. And an even stronger bond with Bastion! It's not like back...home," she muttered the last part, wondering if she should have said that.

"Ah, yes... Those friends... and the young man who betrayed you... And nearly killed you," Trueman smirked.

Violet clenched her fists, finding herself falling inwardly. "That was the past... It's different now. Bastion is nothing like Mike!"

"No... But have you considered that his love has faded?"

It felt as if her heart stopped beating for a moment, her blood running cold. "F-Faded?"

Trueman knew that he had this girl's spirit now. "Yes... his love has faded. He stays with you out of a sense of duty. You have been through so much together... He wouldn't abandon you, but he no longer loves you... You are just connected to him..."

Violet suddenly felt weak in the legs, as if her bones had turned to jelly. His words made so much sense, even if she didn't want to believe them. How many times had Bastion said he'd wanted to protect her? That he'd stay by her side? Unable to handle the thought, she dropped to her knees, body shaking. "He doesn't... B-But...he said... All those times...he said he l-loved me..."

And then the room dissolved to reveal what looked like a church. Bastion was standing at the front of the church in a black tuxedo. But his face looked grave. Violet suddenly found herself on her feet again, dressed in the wedding gown she had chosen with the other girls. This was supposed to be one of the happiest days of her life, and yet... Why was there no one sitting in the pews? Where were her friends? And...Why did Bastion look so upset?? Frowning, Violet made her way down the aisle, getting a very uneasy feeling.

Bastion took a deep breath as she walked down the aisle. And when she got to him, he said, "Violet... I can't do this..."

It was like a record stopping suddenly, the needle sliding off its surface. "Wh-What??"

"I... can't marry you... I'd be condemning you... to a loveless marriage..."

"Loveless... Bastion, what are you saying?" Violet could feel something chipping away at her heart, the pieces that had been mended starting to loosen.

"I..." Bastion's eyes looked blank. "I'll always love you... but I am not in love with you."

And that did it. Like a frustrated statue carver tossing away his tools and pulling out the big guns, a hammer slammed into Violet's heart. And it fell to pieces for the second time in her life, even more shattered this time around. She felt broken. "But...but you said... All those times..."

Trueman tightened the vision. Bastion's face became even more contorted in pain. "I couldn't hurt you... I wanted to spare you the pain..."

Violet's anger sparked like any person's would from such a deep hurt. "So...so you thought telling me this on our wedding day would hurt less?! How could you lead me on like that?!"

"I... I wasn't... I just thought perhaps the feeling would come back," he said softly. "But... I was wrong and I've hurt you..." His eyes lost the blank look to be replaced by honest pain. "I am so sorry, Violet... but... I cannot condemn you to a marriage where I lack the feeling to be a proper husband..."

She was too overcome with sadness, hurt, and anger to see his pain. The betrayal she felt only let her see her own. Falling to her knees and burying her face in her hands as she sobbed, she didn't give him a second look. "How could you... Giving me so much hope... And then smashing it to pieces... I...I HATE you, Bastion Misawa!! I HATE YOU!!!" And in reality, Violet was also on her knees, crying violently as she screamed the same thing in the empty classroom. "Why does everyone leave me?! Why can't anyone just love me?! I...I feel so alone," she whispered, hugging herself and shuddering.

"No one in this world truly loves, Violet," Trueman said, trying to sound sympathetic. "People take what they need and then they leave. It is the nature of humans... they are more like beasts..."

"I...I thought...he was different," Violet muttered, still shaking as tears continued to fall to the floor.

"He isn't... But I can end your pain," Trueman offered. "I can send you to a place where there is no pain, young one..."

"I don't want to be alone anymore..." Violet whispered, speaking from the depths of her soul and finding his offer very tempting. Yes, she could have used her PDA to call for help. But her mind was too clouded and her heart too broken to even think of that option now.

Bastion, meanwhile, had finally tied his shoe and realized that Violet wasn't back. "What could be taking so long?" he wondered, heading back to the classroom. "Violet?" he called, heading in. And then the horrific sight greeted his eyes. His love was standing in tears as a man stood over her. "WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY FIANCEE?!" he demanded.

"Ending her pain... Violet... are you ready to escape this painful world where no one truly loves?" Trueman asked, meeting Bastion's eyes cruelly for only a second.

"What did you tell her? Violet!" Bastion shouted, running down to her, "Violet, I love you... and I want to be with you! Don't give in!"

Violet's anger peaked again, and she turned, backing away from Bastion but glaring at him through her tears. "Stay away from me! You...you LIAR!! I HATE YOU!!!" she screamed, clutching at the spot where her heart was.

Bastion jerked as if slapped. "Darling, what are you saying?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!" he demanded again.

Trueman smirked. "I have shown her the truth of humanity... No one truly loves..."

"That's not true! I would give myself to save her from you! And to make her remember!" By this time, tears were coming down Bastion's face as he tried to break through to Violet. "Remember, love, until you... I had never loved before..."

"But you don't love me anymore... Or you won't eventually... You'll stop...and then you'll just HURT me... Just like everyone else... I...I can't take it anymore... It hurts too much," Violet sobbed, turning back to Mr. T. "I want the pain to stop."

"Violet!" Bastion moaned, moving to touch her shoulders, hoping desperately to break the spell, "I will never stop loving you... Please... don't forget this," he cried, feeling his heart tearing in two.

Violet smacked his hand away, emotions still tossing between rage and depression. "Don't...don't touch me... Just...leave. Me. ALONE."

"Are you ready to go?" Trueman asked, smiling wolfishly, knowing that he'd won.

"No! Don't take her!" Bastion pleaded, smarting from her hit.

"I'm ready... I'm tired of being betrayed and hurt," Violet muttered, reaching up to hug herself again. "No matter how much I come to love anyone...it doesn't matter... I'm so tired..."

Bastion was on his knees. "Violet..." But he knew the battle was lost now.

And Trueman laid his hand on Violet's shoulder. "Prepare for forgetfulness, Violet Haverbrook..."

"I...I want to forget... Bastion...I still love you...I always will," Violet whispered, eyes closing to release her final tears.

"I love you darling," Bastion whispered brokenly, reaching out to touch her. But as he did, Trueman lifted his other hand and he and Violet disappeared in columns of dark light. "NOOOO!!!" Bastion cried out, and his and Violet's PDAs dropped to the floor. Instantly, the alarms activated, sending the message to the group's PDA's. It wasn't a pleasant sound for any of them to hear.

Jaden, sitting in his last class of the day with the rest of the gang, groaned softly. And Professor Viper, standing at the front of the class said, "Students, we have an emergency. Class is dismissed." The gang looked at each other and then looked at the numbers.

"No!" Annie moaned. Two of her friends, brother and sister, taken? She couldn't take that. Not both of them.

Syrus frowned. "And...they're in the math room... Wasn't that the class they had after lunch?!"

The group ran and Professor Viper made the call to the other instructors who had also just cancelled their classes. The teens arrived at the math classroom and saw how empty it was. Until they noticed Bastion was in there. "BASTION!" they shouted as one.

They all could tell when they'd gotten to him that something horrible must have happened. He looked even worse than when they had found Tyson in the woods, and he had told them how terrible that had been. "Bastion...?" Alexis tried, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"She... was angry," he moaned, tears still coming. His face was the color of whey, and his eyes looked terribly haunted. "She... said she... hated me..."

"No, Bastion, that isn't true," Annie tried, feeling her own heart rip. 'No, this can't be,' she thought, agonized.

"She didn't mean it, Bastion. She couldn't have... He drove her to it," Syrus added, biting his bottom lip. This was bad.

"I failed her... I failed her again," the tall Ra moaned again. "I was right there... Why didn't I just go with her?"

"Bastion, don't say that! Losing both of you guys would have been even worse," Atticus countered, fists clenching.

"I should've taken the hit... But... he wouldn't take me in her place..."

"Bastion, he wants all of us! We don't want that!" Jaden yelped.

"Jaden's right! He might...he might still come after you," Alexis tried to reason, frowning deeply.

"Then... I can be with her," the Ra answered, his eyes looking horribly blank.

"Soldier, don't you dare give up!" Tyson shouted, grabbing the older boy by the collar and shaking him. "You ain't givin' up, you hear me?!" His eyes flashed dinosaur.

"Whoa, Tyson, easy there... Don't hurt 'im, mate," Jim said quickly, putting a hand on Tyson's arm.

Tyson blinked, his eyes going back to normal. "Huh? Oh, yeah... But Private, you can't give up! We ain't gonna let you," he asserted, setting his dorm-brother down neatly.

Bastion, however, sighed. "There is no way out of this... I can't figure it out... There is no logic... There is nothing."

And then, despite her feeling stunned, Annie walked down to him. "Bastion, figure out a way. Logic is only the start of things! We have the ability to figure our way out of tough spots! It's what makes us human!"

"Annie... I can't figure it!" he shouted. "I can't figure how to stop this!"

"Yes, you can!" she countered. "Remember, if you want to be James T. Kirk, you figure a way to reprogram the situation! Make it possible to rescue the ship! Since when do you believe in a no-win situation?!"

And then Bastion got an angry and pained look in his eyes. He lowered his voice, and it took on a cold edge that the group hadn't truly heard from him before. "As long as we're talking Star Trek Two: The Wrath of Khan, do you remember how that movie ended?"

"Spock died," she answered, just above a whisper, "to make it possible to save the ship..."

"That's right, Annie... And maybe I want to be Spock right now!" he shouted cruelly. Annie pulled back, a horribly hurt look in her eyes.

Syrus stepped in. "Hey! Bastion, she was just trying to help! You don't have to act like that!!" He knew that Bastion was in pain and upset, but he wasn't going to let him be cruel to his fiancée.

But what Bastion had said made something in Annie snap. Her tear-filled blue eyes suddenly burned with anger. "NO YOU DON'T! YOU WANT TO BE JIM KIRK! HE FOUND A WAY TO BRING SPOCK BACK FROM THE DEAD! AND HE AND HIS FRIENDS RISKED EVERYTHING TO DO IT! DON'T YOU DARE FORGET THAT WE'VE BEEN READY TO RISK EVERYTHING! REMEMBER THAT NIGHT WHEN TANIYA HAD YOU AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON?! IF SHE'D DONE SOMETHING TO YOU, SHE WOULD'VE BEEN DEAD RIGHT THERE BECAUSE VIOLET AND I WOULD'VE TORN HER APART!"

When Annie had finished venting out her anger, there was silence. The rest of the group was too shocked to say anything, and even if they hadn't been, what could they possibly say? Bastion blinked, coming out of his self-pity and anger. "Annie..." He shook in place, realizing what he'd done. "I'm sorry... I just..." And then they hugged.

"It's okay, brother... I'm here," she murmured. And so the group pulled Bastion into a tight group hug, hoping that surrounding him with their love could somehow break through his pain. They were already down two friends now; the last thing they wanted was for another to be taken. But it was obvious that Bastion was hurt deep, maybe even deeper than their love could reach. He needed Violet.

The teachers arrived to the room to see the group hug. "Who..?" Chancellor Shepherd began, but the question died on his lips when Jaden brought him Violet's PDA.

"Violet, Chancellor," the Slifer stated, his voice shaking a little.

And Fonda Fontaine couldn't hold back a painful gasp. "No..."

Don Sartyr put a comforting arm around her, frowning deeply. "And Bastion...?" He knew that even though one of his favorite Ras had remained, he must have been hurting.

Bastion pulled out of the group hug to move to his favorite professor. "I'm here, sir," he stated softly.

"I'm glad for that, Bastion... But are you all right?" Don asked, wanting to hug the teen but deciding it was more appropriate to place a hand on his shoulder.

"N-No, sir," he answered, unable to hide the tears. "I... I'm sorry..."

And then, the older teacher decided that his student needed a hug, and he filled that need. "Don't be sorry, Bastion... You love her...of course you will be upset..." Bastion held on, crying silently. The last class of the day was cancelled, and the students were all allowed to head back to their rooms. Jaden and the rest of the gang headed to Obelisk with Annie, Sy, and Bastion, where they could all be together. The Ra genius headed to his and Violet's bedroom and sank face-down onto it. He had no tears left to cry, and he needed to lick his wounds.

Outside the room, Alexis groaned. "This is even worse than the first time they attacked..." The rest of the group was in one of the Obelisk lounges on the third floor, talking about what had just occurred.

"Yeah... That guy didn't even duel Violet," Jaden added. "She didn't have a chance..."

"He just snatched her," Chazz sighed sadly.

"And from the way Bastion was talking...this guy can make people think whatever he wants them to," Syrus stated worriedly, frowning.

"She thought we'd hate her... or that Bastion would stop loving her," Annie moaned. "She couldn't escape that..."

"Bastion said that she told him that she hated him... Violet's never said she hated anyone...not even Mike," Atticus noted thoughtfully.

"What did she see?" Mindy wondered, looking thoughtful. "It must've been something really bad... If we knew what it was..."

"Hold on a second... Remember back when Rosa had that nightmare?" Jim asked, thanking his parents for passing onto him a very good long-term memory.

"Yeah," Annie and Tyson said at the same time. They both had good long-term memory as well.

"It was her memories," Tyson realized.

Jim nodded. "Tyson, what you told us about what happened sounded a lot like Rosa's nightmare. So what if Violet's nightmare is basically what happened when Mr. T showed up?"

"But... why would she hate Bastion?" Annie wondered. "She didn't hate Mike for that..."

"Maybe he showed her somethin' like that, but worse?" Jesse offered.

"But... what could be worse?" Jaden asked, trying to think. As if on cue, something small, round, and fluffy landed squarely on the Slifer's head with a squeak. He looked up and picked the fluffy creature off his head. "Hey, Tiffles! You got out too, huh?"

The pink Watapon squeaked again, smiling for a moment before frowning. It was obvious he was as upset as the rest of them about Violet being taken. And then, he surprised them. "I don't usually like talking... But I know the answer to your question and only Violet can understand my normal language," Tiffles stated in a voice that definitely didn't suit his body. It was strong and sophisticated, more like a knight's form of speaking than a fluff ball's.

Several pairs of eyes blinked. "Tiffles! You can talk!" Annie said happily. And then she sobered. "Do you know what happened to her?"

The little Watapon sighed. "Yes, I do. And it wasn't pretty... That creature spared no expense on breaking down her willpower..." He, like her other spirits, had seen everything. But they had been unable to act, the darkness holding them at bay until it was too late. So Tiffles told them what had been said, as well as the vision Violet had been forced to go through. Tiffles also included the aftermath with Bastion, guessing he hadn't told them much. "...And that's how it went... We couldn't do anything to help her."

"So... she saw Bastion dumping her at the altar," Jasmine moaned. "That's horrible... and none of us were there... Oh, no..."

"She was so broken down that she couldn't control her emotions... It's no wonder she said those things to him," Atticus agreed, pained like the others.

"Tiffles, are you okay?" Jaden asked, noticing the little pink creature trembling.

Just because the alien talked strongly, that didn't change the fact that he was still a soft-hearted creature. He started bawling on Jaden's lap, much like baby creatures did in anime shows. "I couldn't do anything to help Violet!! Now she's trapped along with my brothers and everyone else!! I miss her!"

Jaden held the little creature close, much as he'd hold Winged Kuriboh if he were troubled. "We're gonna get her back, Tiffles... It's gonna be all right... We'll get everybody back, okay?"

The Watapon sniffled, eyes still teary, but he stopped crying as hard. "O-Okay. Is Bastion doing all right?"

"He's sad... Maybe you can help him feel better," the Slifer boy smiled.

"Good idea. I'll make my way up there right now!" With that said, Tiffles hopped out of Jaden's lap and continued hopping in a very cute fashion out of the room. Back in Bastion and Violet's bedroom, the Ra genius laid curled around Tiffles' stuffed counterpart. All he knew was agonizing pain, but the soft fur of the toy reminded him of another world. And then fur just as soft brushed against his hand, though it felt just slightly different. The feeling was accompanied by a squeak; a very familiar squeak.

"Huh?" Bastion muttered aloud. "What in the world?" He lifted his head and blinked to see the pink puffball. "Tiffles... how can you be here?"

"I escaped, of course!" Tiffles answered smartly, sounding like a miniature Bastion almost.

"And... you can talk?!" the Ra asked, stunned.

The Watapon sweat-dropped. "I usually let Violet just translate for me... Human language is so much more complex than beast... But yes, I can talk."

"Goodness... Tiffles... I'm sorry," he apologized to the Watapon. "I failed her..."

"Now, Bastion, don't even think of starting that! She was quite clearly tricked, just like the rest of the captives. You couldn't do anything, just like Tyson couldn't and Blair couldn't," Tiffles countered seriously.

"But... I should've been able to save her," Bastion moaned.

It was then that Fire Dragon, also known as Vulcan, appeared in the room. "He's discouraged," the large dragon explained.

Pacifica, the Water Dragon, also appeared. "He's dug himself too deep after all this time..."

Tiffles nodded in understanding. "Yes, I know. It was much the same with Violet... Bastion, you can't save her if you lose yourself to this, now can you?"

"I just... want to be with her," the young man sighed tiredly.

The three duel spirits looked at each other in heartache. "We're losing him," Vulcan moaned softly.

"Bastion...if you get her back, you will be with her," Pacifica said softly, brushing her cool snout against his back.

"I'll fail again, as I always have," the young man groaned in supreme agony. "Cleveland, here at the coliseum..."

"You didn't fail at either of those places! You avenged Violet and then saved her, remember?" Tiffles squeaked.

"But... she was so badly hurt..." There was no convincing him.

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Day turned to night and the gang headed to their rooms again. They had had dinner together, and then Sy and Annie had helped Bastion to his bedroom. "Bastion... let's get you in your pajamas... Sy... could you?" Annie asked.

Syrus nodded. "Yeah, I'll help him, Annie..."

"Thanks, hon..." She headed to her and Sy's bedroom to get on her nightclothes while Sy went in with Bastion.

"Thank you, Syrus," the large young man said softly, sitting on his bed.

"Hey, I want to help... What kind of pajamas did you want to wear?" Syrus asked, going over to the dresser.

"It doesn't matter. Pick what you like," Bastion answered, dully.

Syrus frowned, grabbing a pair of gray sweatpants and a black shirt. "Bastion...Violet would hate seeing you beating yourself up like this..."

"How would you feel were it Annie? You could protect her..." Bastion's eyes and voice were devoid of passion, dull.

Syrus sighed as he helped his friend change, knowing this was a bad sign. "How is this going to help protect Violet, Bastion?" he tried.

"That ship has sailed, my friend. This is the third time I failed... and the damage to her will be worse..."

"But doesn't that mean you'll have to be stronger for her? What happened to you saying that you'd stay strong for her, no matter what?"

"I don't know," Bastion muttered as he pulled his pants on. "Syrus... I feel like... I've got an open wound... and it's mortal..."

"Well, until we get Violet and everyone else back, let us help you tend that wound, Bastion... Violet may be the only person to help you heal it, but we can help you handle it until then," Syrus continued.

"Thank you, Syrus, and... whatever happens... I'm glad we've gotten closer," the tall young man stated gently, meeting Sy's silvery eyes with his storm cloud-gray ones.

Syrus smiled, hoping he had helped Bastion enough to keep him afloat. "You're welcome, Bastion. And... I'm glad we've gotten closer like this, too."

Bastion pulled the small Obelisk to him in a hug. It was a lot like the hugs Jaden gave Sy, but with bigger arms and a broader chest. "You're a good friend... Never doubt that..."

Syrus hugged back, finding himself comforted as well as comforting Bastion. "I won't... And you are too, so you'd better not doubt it, either. Got it?"

Bastion nodded. "I'll do my best... Good night, Syrus... Don't keep Annie waiting..."

"Good night, Bastion..." Syrus left, hoping his friend would be all right and hoping he had done enough.

"How's he doing?" Annie asked as Sy entered their bedroom. She had chosen a new nightgown tonight and hoped he was surprised.

"I think he's doing better..." Syrus blinked, noticing. "Is that a new nightgown??"

"Yeah," she blushed. It was a blue affair with a pink ruffled skirt. The blue section was off the shoulders and there was a ruby jewel with a golden pentagram at the chest. "Do you like it?" she asked shyly.

He blushed as well. "Y-Yeah...it looks really nice on you, Annie..."

"Do you recognize the costume?" she asked, hoping he recognized it on her slim yet shapely form. 'Sure I'm not wearing the boots or the hat, but... I hope he does,' she thought.

He thought for a long moment, and then his eyes widened. "It sort of looks like Dark Magician Girl's outfit..."

She nodded, turning even redder. "I thought... you'd really like that..."

He smiled, going over to her and kissing her cheek. "I do like it..."

"I'm not like her, though..."

"No... But it's okay. I like you the way you are, Annie. It's why I fell in love with you..."

"Sy," she began, "I need to tell you something, and you're probably going to think less of me... But I need to tell you..."

He blinked in surprise. "What is it, Annie? Whatever it is...I promise I won't think any less of you... I can't."

"I was jealous of her... I mean... I couldn't compete with her," she admitted.

He smiled again, taking her hand. "Is that what you thought?"

"Y-yeah, because... I don't know," she sighed, frustrated and ashamed of herself.

"It's just funny... After I met you...at first, it was kind of even between the two of you... But then, when we started getting closer, it was more like...she couldn't compete with you," he soothed her.

Annie froze at this. "What? Seriously?"

Syrus blushed again, nodding. "Y-Yeah... I mean, when I really started falling in love with you... Even though Dark Magician Girl had kissed me at that festival...I enjoyed your kiss a lot more..." Annie blushed as red as the ruby on her chest and pulled him into a very passionate kiss. She was glad he had said that, and knew he meant it.

Syrus found himself enjoying this kiss as much as he had enjoyed the others they had shared, gladly wrapping his arms around her waist.

The couple enjoyed kissing for a long moment and then they broke for air. "Oh, Sy," Annie murmured.

"I love you, Annie," Syrus murmured back, smiling.

"I love you too, honey... Let's get to bed," she sighed softly, thinking of Bastion alone in the next room.

He nodded, pulling back the covers so they could get comfortable under them. "He'll be okay...I hope..."

"Me, too," she sighed, tears coming.

"Don't cry, Annie," he murmured, brushing them away with his thumb.

"I just... Sy... we're going to lose him... Unless something happens soon, we'll lose him," she whimpered.

"I...I know, Annie... But what can we do?" he asked softly.

"I don't know..." She pulled as close to him as she could. And then she shifted uncomfortably, realizing something about the outfit she was wearing. "Uh... I need to change..."

"Huh? You do?"

She blushed. "Uh... yeah, this is cutting into me... I guess... it's not meant to be worn long..."

"Oh, okay." He sat up, letting go of her so that she could slide out of the bed. She quickly headed to her pajama drawer and selected a simple pink cotton nightshirt with black polka dots that had short sleeves and a v-neck. "Ah... much better. Sorry, honey," she said as she slipped back into bed with him.

He smiled, pulling her back to him. "It's okay, Annie. You should be comfortable..."

"Thanks, Sy," she murmured, cuddling into his embrace. "I know you like this one too... I will wear the Dark Magician Girl get-up again some night..."

"All right... But you don't have to, Annie... You look just as beautiful in a normal nightgown," he whispered truthfully. He liked her dressed as Dark Magician Girl, but he loved Annie as herself.

"Oh, I want to," she whispered back. This might've been accompanied by a naughty grin, but tonight, it was only a wistful smile.

"Then do what you want... Good night, Annie," he murmured, giving her a quick kiss.

"Night, honey, love you," she sighed, kissing back.

"Love you too..." And the couple drifted off to sleep, along with what was left of the island population.

_And no cliffhanger this night; just a little fluff. So Violet is gone and Bastion is heartbroken. Will he be able to find strength in the gang, or will he be another casualty? Next time, "Heartbreak." Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	26. Heartbreak

Chapter XXVI: Heartbreak

_--__**Yubel walks on stage, not truly thrilled to be on stage—**__Hello, everyone. I am here at the request of Jaden, Peach and Ani to do the introduction. Peach and Ani thank you very much for your support of their works of fiction, and your continued reading and reviews._

–_**Yubel looks over at the edge of the stage to Jaden—**__C'mon, Yubel! Keep going; you're doing great! Just tell them what Ani and Peach said!_

_--__**Yubel manages a smile—**__Okay, Jaden. Anyway, I suppose you all would like a summary. Last time, the gang lost Violet and Bastion went into depression, yelled at Annie and she yelled back. Though you didn't see it, I and the other monsters were surprised. The group tried to hold Bastion together, but it seems he was emotionally far more damaged than they could heal. So what will happen next? Please read on…_

_Oh, yes… Peach and Ani don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. They own their OCs, this version of the Yugi-verse, and their own plotlines. Thank you. Oh yes, and a warning… Nightmare imagery… --__**Yubel gets off-stage--**_

Unfortunately, with the new attack came a new bunch of disappearances, courtesy of Darkness. Jaden's group, as well as those who were left on the island and in the rest of the world, learned of this in the morning.

"Bastion and I are now the only Ras left," Tyson groaned when they met up in the morning. "Professor Sartyr's movin' up to Obelisk... The enemy keeps gettin' us..."

"Yeah... how do we fight this enemy?" Jasmine wondered, gripping Atticus's hand. "It knows where to hit us and it can make what we're thinking worse..."

"Knowing that should give us the ability to combat it and yet... it's not working," Blair sighed, picking at her scrambled eggs. "If we can't figure this out... we won't be here for long..."

And then, as if the bad news couldn't stay as it is, it got worse. The group's PDAs rang with the tone that meant an important news message had been sent. "Oh, no...you guys don't think it might be...?" Alexis muttered, pulling out her PDA.

They all took a look and all their faces went pale as the faces of Noah and Serena Kaiba, age 11, and Angela Wheeler, age 10, looked up at them. "No," Chazz groaned, reading the headline. "They're gone..."

"And Kisara's in the hospital," Jaden muttered, aching for the young pregnant mother and her husband as he glanced through the article. "She got really upset and her blood pressure went up too high. They were afraid she'd go into labor and it's too early. Since she's having twins again, it's risky."

The teens knew that this meant more people had likely disappeared all over the world. Domino was probably starting to look as empty as Duel Academy. "This has to stop... There has to be something we can do so that they can't use our fears against us," Syrus stated, a hand on his head.

Annie was already crying. "All those kids... How can Seto, Kisara, Joey, Mai, Yugi and Teá stand it?" she moaned, having a good idea as to how it would feel if she had a child that was suddenly snatched from her arms.

Syrus pulled her into a hug. "I don't know, Annie... But we'll get them back somehow... And we'll find a way to stop them from taking anyone else... We have to..."

"Yeah, Sy... We're gonna stop it," Jaden asserted, his eyes set. "There's got to be something we're missing... Right, Bastion? Bastion?" But the British-Japanese-American Ra was picking at his breakfast, not really paying attention to what was said.

Breakfast had been quieter than usual without Violet there; they all felt her absence. But it was even worse that Bastion was only there in body, his mind somewhere else. "Bastion? Are you feeling okay?" Alexis asked, reaching to touch his arm and get his attention.

Bastion jerked up. "Hmmm? Oh... sorry, Alexis... what did you say?" he asked, trying to cover his mood and failing miserably.

"I asked if you were feeling okay... We're worried about you, Bastion," she answered, frowning. Everyone was looking at the Ra with worried expressions.

"I'm all right. Thank you," he answered.

"Bastion," Annie tried, "please don't hold it in..."

"I'm not holding anything in... There's nothing left to hold in," he answered softly. He took one more bite of his breakfast, a buttered crumpet, and then drank down his orange juice. "I'll be studying, should you all need me," he finished, standing up.

"Bastion," Atticus called, getting the Ra's attention.

"Yes, Atticus?" Bastion asked, turning around.

"If you need anything, call us, okay? Or if you just want to talk..."

"Thank you," Bastion answered softly, and headed off to his room to get a book. He would spend the day studying and going to class with the group. And then he would head back to his bedroom at Obelisk to fall into a restless sleep.

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Late that night, down in Jaden and Alexis's room, Alexis began to moan softly in their bed. "Lex?" Jaden asked, waking up beside her.

In her dream, Alexis was back reliving the day when Atticus had disappeared from the face of the earth. _"How could this have happened?" Scout Rhodes moaned, crying as any mother would, having been told her son wasn't coming home._

_Alexis, in her last year of Duel Academy Prep school, was crying as well. However, she had never been one to sob or cry violently, usually letting out silent tears. She sat at the kitchen table with her parents, the tears slipping down her cheeks. Jack Rhodes held his wife, crying much the same way that Alexis was. "I don't know, Scout... I just don't know..."_

_"How... did he just disappear?!" Scout moaned. "Lexi, sweetheart, come here..." And she pulled her daughter close as she had before in reality._

_The three Rhodes hugged, crying together at the loss of the fourth member of their tight-knit family. "Mom...when I go to Duel Academy...I'll find him... I promise," Alexis asserted in a muffled voice, sniffling a little from her tears. It pained her that she was unable to help her brother, had been unable to help him when he needed her the most._

_"Honey... we don't even know what's happened... We can't lose you too..."_

_"You won't... Mom, I need to find him... He said he'd always protect me...and I said I'd protect him too..." _

_"Lexi...there was nothing you could do... You were in school here in Domino, and he was on that island," Jack soothed._

_"Alexis," Scout said sadly, "baby, it's been a week and the police have no leads. They have nothing to go on... And all those other kids that have gone missing... Atty's just... gone," she finished, voice breaking. "My sweet boy..."_

_"He may be gone, but I'm going to find him! I will! I'm not giving up..." Alexis pulled away from her parents and ran out of the kitchen. She wanted to go to her room, to be alone, to think of how she was going to fix this.__ But instead of finding herself in her bedroom, she found herself out in the open air, with the smell of sulfur close by. It was the volcano at Duel Academy on the night Atticus had returned._

_Jaden was unconscious on the ground, some burn marks on his cheeks and uniform. But also lying on the ground was a figure with dark brown hair. In the dark clothing he wore, along with the strange dark mask with jewels, he had been almost unrecognizable. But with the mask off, his visage was unmistakable to the sister who had been waiting for nearly two years to see his face. "Alexis, who is it?" Zane Truesdale asked from above her, and then he was stunned into silence._

_Alexis felt tears brim her eyes as she pulled the teen into an embrace. "It's him, Zane... It's Atticus...it's really him... He's back..." The tears finally fell, and she tightened her grip on him, afraid that if she let go he'd disappear again. Atticus was clearly hurt, and she'd been unable to help him, again._

_"It's really him," Zane muttered in disbelief. "But...how could he have been a Shadow Rider?" _

_"I think we need to get them to the infirmary! I'm calling ahead to Miss Fontaine!" Bastion stated as Annie Hanson pulled out a small first aid kit from her backpack to do what she could for the unconscious boys._

_Alexis buried her face in her brother's slightly singed hair, unable to speak. She just cried, feeling relieved and pained at the same time. "I'm sorry, Atty... I promised I'd protect you... I failed you...I'm so sorry," she whispered, almost inaudibly._

_The scene dissolved and Alexis again found herself somewhere else. She had run down an alley with her mother to find Chazz, her future brother at the time, limp and surrounded by trash. "Mmmm," he groaned in obvious pain._

_"CHAZZ!" Alexis dropped beside him, eyes wide. "Bro, are you okay?!" Meanwhile, her heart felt a pang of guilt and regret. She'd promised herself to protect everyone, since she'd failed her brother twice. But here she was, again, looking down at a hurt friend that was about to be a brother._

_"Slade and Jagger... couldn't let them hurt you guys..." And then, unlike in reality, Chazz began to cough up blood. This indicated major internal trauma. _

_"Oh, my gosh! He's bleeding internally! Sweetie, hang in there!" Scout tried to sooth her adopted-in-heart child._

_Alexis gasped, taking her brother's hand. "Chazz, hang on! We're going to get help!" She bit her bottom lip, feeling the tears stinging at her eyes. 'No...no, no, no! Don't do this...I'm sorry! I should have been here to protect you!! I failed you just like I failed Atty,' she thought, anguished._

_Darkness twisted the dream even further. "JACK! CALL 911 NOW! WE CAN'T MOVE HIM!" Scout shrieked, frantically working over Chazz._

_Jack got on his cell phone and called the paramedics in seconds, telling them their location. "Chazz...Chazz! Stay with us!" Alexis tried, squeezing his hand and feeling her heart race uncontrollably. 'My fault...I should have been here... Because of me,' she thought. _And in reality, actual tears brimmed her eyes, conveying the sadness she felt. "Chazz...my fault....no...."

_"Not... your fault... sis," Chazz struggled to say. _

_"Sweetheart, hang on, and save your strength," Scout murmured, doing all she could. But by the time the ambulance arrived, it was already too late. Chazz died just as the ambulance arrived at the hospital._

And in reality, Jaden knew what was happening. "Babe, wake up! You're having a nightmare! It's not real! Fight Darkness!" He took her hand and squeezed it. "It's me, Jay... I'm here!"

"Chazz...!" Alexis cried out, still lost in her nightmare. The thought of losing one of her brothers for good was just too much; it practically broke her heart. And then Jaden did the one thing he was sure would wake her up. He gently lifted the top of her pajama top, exposing her flat belly, pressed his lips to it and blew, giving her a tummy raspberry.

Alexis giggled through her tears, squirming at the strange touch suddenly cutting through her dreams. Opening her eyes, she lightly smacked Jaden's head. "J-Jaden! Stop! What are you doing??"

"Ouch!" he yelped. "Babe, you were having a nightmare! I had to do something to wake you up, especially if Darkness was doing something to you!"

"W-What?? A nightmare?" She asked, blinking a few times. And then she felt the wetness on her face, and how her heart was slowly returning to its normal pace.

"What do you remember?" he asked, pulling her into his arms.

"It...it was just old memories... When Atty went missing...when we found him at the volcano... But then...then Chazz, he...." She stopped, unable to bring herself to say the words.

"Tell me," he urged, rubbing her back softly and kissing her forehead. "It's okay... It was just a dream..."

"But...it was so real... He...he DIED, Jaden... He was dead," she moaned, burying her face in his shoulder as more hot tears fell.

"He... died? Back in the alley?" he asked, knowing when Chazz could've been taken from them.

She sniffed, nodding against him. "And I couldn't do anything... I couldn't help Atty...I couldn't help Chazz... I couldn't even help any of our friends who have disappeared..."

"Lex... I've felt that way too," he admitted. "But first, I remember back when Atticus first came back. You helped him come back to us. You didn't leave his side when he was still waking up."

She met his eyes. "But I couldn't stop him from going missing..."

"Alexis... where were you?" Jaden asked gently as they lay down. He cuddled her tenderly, trying to send his own strength into her.

"At...at school," Alexis muttered, resting her forehead against his chest.

"And where was school?"

"...Duel Academy Prep..."

"And where's Duel Academy Prep?" he asked, brushing a lock of her golden hair out of her face.

"Domino City... But, Jaden..."

"What?" he asked, knowing by now that she needed to talk it out.

"I promised I'd protect him," she muttered, frowning.

Jaden took a very deep breath. "Babe... I realized something. Do you know what has gone through my head for nearly three years? And since I was a little kid?"

Alexis shook her head slightly. "No...what?"

"I hated myself when I couldn't protect the people I cared about... I kept thinking maybe it was my fault... You know?"

"Yeah... That's exactly what I thought..."

"But then... I realized something. I can't be in two places at once. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't protect everyone from everything. But what I could do was be there to help my friends through whatever happened..."

"Y-You're right... But I still feel like I could have done something...anything..."

Jaden held her with his gaze. "Babe... that guilt... it only eats away at you... And it can push you away from people... Without you even knowing it..."

"It...it can?"

He nodded. "I held myself back from you guys..."

She realized he was right again. "You did... Jaden, have I...have I held myself back?"

"What do you think?" he asked gently. He didn't want her to feel forced.

"I...I don't know... Maybe," she muttered, frowning, and trying to think back on if she'd ever held anything from the gang or Jaden.

"Do you remember when we first found the Horakhty dorm?"

"Yeah..."

"You and I had dueled, and we'd become friends... But it wasn't until the night Chumley, Sy and I came to the abandoned dorm that you really talked about Atticus. You didn't tell me that he was missing until then..."

"So...you're saying that's one of the times that I held back?"

"I know you weren't ready to tell me then," he said gently. "I don't know if you were holding back at that point. Do you think you were?"

She looked down. "I...maybe I was... I haven't exactly told anyone but you how...guilty I've felt about not being able to protect our friends..."

"Babe," he murmured, kissing her softly, "it's okay to feel that way, but what's not okay... is letting that feeling dominate you and slowly eat away at you..."

"Do you think...that this nightmare is a sign that I'm doing that?" she asked, fingers clutching at the bed sheets worriedly.

He kept her close to him. "It... it might be..."

She frowned, burying her face in his chest. "Then....how do I stop...?"

"I don't know," he murmured. "But we've got to do something..."

"Before I get cornered and convinced to go with him," she muttered, saying their fear aloud.

Jaden shivered, an image of an empty academy and himself there, trying to fight the dark enemy without his love and his friends. 'I'm not going to let this happen,' he thought. "Babe... let's talk it out... Maybe talking will help..."

"Okay... But, can we do it tomorrow? I'm really tired," Alexis replied truthfully, stifling a yawn.

"Okay, babe... Just please promise to talk," he murmured, yawning himself.

"I promise..." They sealed the promise with a kiss and drifted to sleep cuddled close together.

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As Jaden and Alexis fell into a deep sleep, Bastion began to toss in the bed he'd shared with Violet. "No," he moaned softly as the duel spirits around him watched.

"It's happening... This isn't a good sign," Pacifica muttered in beast tongue, watching her master worriedly.

Vulcan sighed sadly, also in beast tongue. "Bastion can't fight this alone... but he won't allow his friends to help..."

"If he doesn't change his mindset soon...he'll be gone," Tiffles agreed.

The duel spirits knew how strong his nightmares were, but had not looked into them. And perhaps it was a good thing they hadn't... _Bastion was in Cleveland and being held down by members of Mike's gang. "Heh... you pathetic wannabe," Mike snarled. "There are more of my guys than there are of you..."_

_"Bastion!!" a distressed Violet called, tears streaming down her cheeks. She too was being held down, with Mike looming threateningly over her._

_"Your precious Bastion-baby can't save you now, Violet... You're pathetic," he said, slapping her across the face. _

_"WHY YOU--!" Bastion shouted, cut off as one of Mike's goons socked him._

_Violet sobbed, unable to fight back even if she hadn't been held down. The emotional trauma was obvious. "B-Bastion...help me...please..." Her tone was pleading, begging; like a kicked puppy whining to be saved._

_Bastion struggled. "LET ME GO!" _

_And the goons began beating him badly. "Vi-olet," he moaned as her blood-curdling screams as Mike hit her became moans._

_"B...Bas...tion," came Violet's weak reply, her breathing barely audible until a few coughs could be heard. He could also hear the distinct sound of blood smacking onto the ground and then a body following after it._

_"Goodbye, Violet... you pathetic nothing," Mike grinned wickedly. He snapped his fingers and his gang let go of the couple and left. _

_Bastion, mortally injured, clawed his way over to Violet. "Da-Darling," he muttered weakly, taking her badly injured hand, knowing that the end was coming._

_Violet's breathing was getting shallower, at least a few of her ribs obviously broken and her internal organs injured. She coughed a bit more, blood staining her now-pale lips a sickening cherry red color. "Ba-Bastion...I," Violet wheezed, obviously using her remaining energy to say the next few words. "I...l-love...you..."_

_"I... I love you, Violet... I... couldn't... save you," Bastion moaned weakly, his head spinning. Violet, unable to say anymore, seemed to give Bastion a sad look before the life faded from her eyes. Her last breath rattled out of her beaten chest, and her hand fell limp in his grasp. "No," Bastion was just able to get out, before his own hand went limp... _

_That part of the nightmare dissolved and he found himself in the coliseum. "VIOLET!" he called out._

_She was again chained to the wall, though for the moment unscathed aside from exhaustion, hunger, and dehydration. "BASTION! I believe in you! I know you can beat her!!" she called, a ghost of a grin on her face._

_"Taniya!" he shouted, but he couldn't see the woman's face this time. He could only see a shadowy figure with her build. The Amazon Tiger's attack launched and Violet was hit. "VIOLET!!!"_

_Violet screamed as the claws dug deep gashes into her flesh, legs shaking. She probably would have fallen had the chains not been holding her aloft. "I-I'm...I'm okay...Bastion! You can do this!!" Violet called, though her face displayed her agony quite clearly._

_The shadowy figure smirked as the duel went on and Violet was hurt worse. "Taniya... please end this!" Bastion pleaded. But the shadowy Taniya would not do it._

_Violet was hanging now, forced to stay dangling because of the shackles. Her body was covered in injuries ranging from cuts to burns to bruises, her clothes soaked with her own blood. She coughed up yet more blood, having taken internal damage yet again. "Bastion......it....it hurts," she moaned, unable to keep her eyes open._

_"VIOLET!" Bastion managed to summon Water Dragon and end the duel, and as in real life, he ran to Violet's side. "Darling... darling, please..."_

_Once more a broken and bloody heap, Violet was obviously finding it harder to breathe. Each breath was a ragged gasp, and by this point the very ground was soaked with her blood. "B-Bastion...I...I can't..." She gave out another strangled gasp, more tortuous as she coughed and spit up what precious blood she had left._

_"Darling... save your strength," Bastion murmured, pulling out the first aid kid from his backpack._

_However, Violet only groaned and forced herself up on shaking arms. "I...I need....can't..." She couldn't form the words, using all of her strength to push her face closer to his._

_Bastion pulled her into his arms. "What is it, love?" he asked, tears coming to his eyes._

_"I...love you...s-so much," Violet whispered in a raspy voice. She moved up, pressing her bloody lips against his weakly. It was a kiss of death, her final breath brushing against his skin as she pulled away._

_"Violet?" Bastion felt her go limp and began CPR. But within a few minutes, he knew it was futile. It wasn't until the teachers arrived an hour later that they forced him away from his love's corpse. "NOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed desperately as Miss Fontaine covered Violet's still form with a white sheet._

_But then the scenery changed for a final time, to a classroom darkened by shadows. It was empty aside from Bastion himself and two others; the woman he loved and a menacing-looking man in a leather jumpsuit and sunglasses. "No... no... not this again," Bastion cried out. "Violet! Please! I love you! Don't go with him!"_

_Violet was sobbing violently, on her knees at the man's feet with her face buried in her hands. "Shut up! You DON'T love me! Why shouldn't I go with him?! Wherever I'd go, it would take the pain away!!"_

_"BECAUSE I'D RATHER DIE THAN HAVE YOU TAKEN FROM ME AGAIN!" he howled._

_And suddenly, the nightmare took a violent and unexpected turn. The man disappeared, along with the classroom, and it was just Bastion and Violet. She stood, glaring at him with a tear-streaked face. "THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD DIE!" she screamed back. _

_Bastion moaned. "You... have every right... to say that..."_

_And then, it got worse, as Violet's beaten corpse appeared beside her from when Mike had "killed" her. "It's YOUR fault I'm dead, Bastion Misawa! I was counting on you! I had faith that you would rescue me from my nightmares!!"_

_"This is a nightmare... I... you lived... but... I couldn't protect you..."_

_"No, that's QUITE obvious!" a third voice shouted as another Violet appeared. This time it was her bloody, broken corpse from the coliseum that Miss Fontaine had covered with a sheet. "Look what happened to ME!! I decided to trust you again, hoping maybe this time you would save me! But you FAILED!! LOOK at me! I suffered even worse than before!"_

_That hit like a hammer-blow to Bastion's heart. "I... I failed," he moaned, sinking to his knees. Tears ran down his well-chiseled face._

_The corpses vanished as the remaining, living Violet stepped forward. Dropping down into a crouching position, she cupped his handsome face in her hands. "You did...you failed so many times, Bastion... Don't you think it's time YOU suffered for your mistakes? For your failures?" This, of course, was Darkness speaking. But Bastion either didn't know or if he did, was far too depressed to care anymore._

_"I'll have to... I can't live without you, Violet... I can't..."_

_"Then give in," Violet whispered in his ear, hiding the smirk of Darkness because of her position. "Let the Darkness take you like you let it take me..."_

_"When I wake... and when he comes... I will not resist," Bastion stated softly, his gray eyes going blank._

_Violet's eyes changed entirely to red for a moment, whites and all. Then, they reverted back to their normal green. "Good... I love you, Bastion," she whispered, kissing him._

_"I love you, darling," he murmured back, still on his knees._ And the dream dissolved, and Bastion fell into a deep sleep. Darkness laughed silently in the shadows of the teen's room, eyes burning. It had worked better than he had even hoped, and he knew that the boy would soon be drifting in the World of Darkness. With that he disappeared, leaving Mr. T to take more students as well as people around the world yet again.

_Bastion, it seems, is mentally wounded to the point he can't think clearly anymore. At this stage of damage, even his friends' logic cannot reach him. This happens a lot in cases of severe depression and he can't fight it anymore… Next time, join us for "Piercing Darkness Part I." So until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	27. Piercing Darkness Part I

Chapter XXVII: Piercing Darkness Part I

_Hello again, GX fans! We're glad to see you back even as our tale has taken a dark turn. This chapter begins a very dark section of our universe, so you're all warned. Anyway, thanks for all your reviews and support. Welcome to our new reviewers and those who have favorited, and onto the tale._

_Last time, the gang mourned Violet's loss to the Darkness, along with the losses of Angela Wheeler, and Noah and Serena Kaiba. Alexis had a nightmare about her worst fears, and Bastion fell just a bit further into Darkness's grasp. Will he be able to escape it, or will he fall? Read on to find out!_

_**Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters.**__ We also don't own Star Trek: First Contact, which Annie paraphrases in this chapter._

_**Authors' Notes: **__We will see different fears from the gang than was seen in canon. Instead of a car crash, Axel is dealing with his fears in a different way. His past, in this section, is taken from Peach's series of tales, "The Sibling Series." In that series, Axel has an older brother named Asher who was an Army Ranger that died in Afghanistan. His dad is also dead, killed on a mission with Professor Viper. We didn't see Jim's fear onscreen and nor did we see Blair's fear. So this is conjecture on our parts. Thank you for your attention._

The next morning, it seemed that the academy had, for once been unaffected. But little did the gang know it had been affected. Bastion woke up, got himself ready for the day and seemed... happier, for lack of a better word. "Good morning, everyone," he greeted as they met in the cafeteria.

"Good morning, Bastion. How are you feeling?" Alexis asked, surprised like the others by the Ra's sudden change.

"I'm feeling better... I have a feeling I'll be seeing Violet soon," he answered with a slight smile.

"Uh, Bastion? How do you know?" Jaden asked suspiciously.

"Well, I had a dream that I would see her soon," the Ra explained simply.

The teens sitting around the table exchanged confused and nervous glances. "See her soon....where, Bastion?" Syrus tried, frowning.

"I don't know... but I will see her soon," the genius said again.

"Bastion... how?" Annie dared ask, her insides turning to jelly.

"I'm... not entirely sure... It's not logical, is it?" The entire group again exchanged glances at this. He seemed peaceful, almost too much so.

Atticus recognized that Bastion was hiding something from them, and obviously wasn't going to say it. He'd done something similar before himself. "No... But if it's cheered you up a bit, then I guess we can just go with it," Atticus stated, sending the others a look that said pushing the subject would lead to nothing.

And so they didn't, but after breakfast, Annie moved to her surrogate brother. "Bastion... please tell me what's going on... you... you aren't planning to do something, are you?" she asked, blue eyes pained.

"Annie..." Bastion took a deep breath. "I don't have to do anything... And I'll be fine... Now, go have fun with Syrus..." He walked away, with a very calm expression on his face.

And she felt her heart break. "I wish I could believe you," she murmured, tears starting to fall.

Syrus, having stood to the side to let them talk, now moved to her and wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay, Annie... Whatever happens...if...if he does...you know... We'll get him back when we get everyone else back... But maybe it won't happen...."

"It's going to happen... Sy, he's like a person who's decided to commit suicide!" she choked out. "He's calm because he's made the decision!"

He pulled her close, knowing this but trying not to believe it. Tears brimmed his own eyes, but he held them back. "I...I know... I wish there was something we could do, Annie..."

"I just wish... we could figure out how to stop it... But he won't even talk through it..."

"I'm not sure we can stop it now, Annie... No matter how much we want to..."

Everyone kept an eye on Bastion that day as they didn't want to leave him alone. But in the evening, when Annie, Sy and Bastion were up in their suite, the tall Ra stood up from the couch in the sitting room. "I'm going to turn in early, guys..."

"Are you sure, Bastion?" Syrus asked, the worry obvious in his tone.

The tall young man nodded. "Yeah... I need to get to bed..." And then he hugged the couple close. Syrus glanced at Annie as he hugged the Ra back, frowning. He knew they both felt like this would be the last time they hugged for a long while. "Good night," Bastion said, releasing them.

"Good night, Bastion," Annie answered, aching for him. "Sy... what are we going to do?" she asked, sinking onto the couch when her brother-in-heart had left the room.

"I don't know, Annie... We can't watch him all night..." he answered through a sigh.

"We'll check on him," she answered softly. But she didn't know just what he was planning.

As soon as Bastion went to his room, he looked around the room. 'I can't stay here... It won't happen here,' he thought. He took a letter out of his coat pocket and read through it before sealing it in an envelope. He laid the stuffed version of Tiffles on the made bed also with a plush version of Death Litmus Violet had given him. He put the envelope back in his coat pocket, and then opened the bedroom window. Bastion used an emergency escape ladder and climbed down to the ground. He then headed over to Ra Yellow, which was deserted and got into the dorm and to his old room. "Hello, old friend," he whispered. The room seemed to welcome him back.

He remembered trying to figure out how to beat numerous opponents here. But what he remembered now was a night when Violet had come with him, just two months before... _"Hmmm... I know I'm getting something wrong here, darling..."_

_Violet was laying on Bastion's bed, her head hanging upside-down over the edge as she stared at him. "Something wrong with what, Bastion-baby?"_

_"I'm just trying to figure out this equation, love," he explained. "I think I'm getting something wrong, but I'm not entirely certain... Maybe I should take a break," he concluded, sitting down on the bed next to her._

_She flipped around to lie on her stomach, kicking her legs a bit. "Maybe you're just thinking too hard. If you over-analyze something, sometimes you won't get what you're looking for."_

_"Yeah, I think you're right... as you so often are, darling," he said, kissing her softly on the forehead._

_She giggled, moving to press her lips against his momentarily. Then, she pulled away and rolled off of the bed, straightening. "I've got an idea."_

_The teen genius blushed lightly at the kiss. "And what is that?" he asked curiously, standing also._

_"There's one equation that ALWAYS gets me to chill out and let my brain think on its own," she answered. Violet grabbed a marker and started writing, hiding what was being written from view._

_Bastion followed curiously, trying to snag a look. Finally, he dared ask, "Are you done?"_

_"Yep! A simple equation that fits any situation. Heh heh..." Violet moved so that he could clearly see what she'd written. VH + BM equals RG._

_"RG means random genius, right?" he asked with a grin, skillfully taking the marker from her._

_"Of course!" she answered happily._

_"Well, you forgot something in your equation," he teased._

_She blinked and pouted. "I did??"_

_"Yup." He moved and added a symbol that looked like a sideways 8 next to RG._

_"RG...infinity?" she asked for clarification._

_He nodded. "We are forever," he answered, bending to kiss her again. "And I wouldn't have it any other way, love..."_

_She smiled, wrapping her arms around him. "Neither would I, Bastion... I love you..."_

That "I love you" echoed in his mind in the present. "I love you, darling... And I'm coming," he murmured softly.

As if on cue, the shadows in the room darkened even more, a suffocating blanket of darkness smothering all light. And then Trueman appeared in a swirling gust of darkness near Bastion's bed. "Bastion Misawa...I'm sure you know why I've come."

"Of course," Bastion answered calmly turning around to meet the jump-suited clone. "Just allow me to do one thing before you take me..."

Mr. T smirked. "Go ahead. I'll wait."

The young man laid the envelope on the bed and then hit the emergency transmitter button indicating that he'd been taken. "There now... I'll go... I can't live without her..."

Trueman chuckled, walking over to stand beside the teen. "And you won't. You've made the right decision..." With that said, the both of them disappeared in another gust of shadowy wind.

The alarms went off all over the academy. "Oh, no... Another one gone," Fonda Fontaine muttered, picking up the PDA as she sat with Don, originally enjoying coffee.

Don picked up his PDA as well, and the cup he'd been holding slipped from his grasp when he saw the name. "No," he moaned as the cup hit the carpet, his body slumping back into his seat.

And up in the Obelisk dorms, Jaden stared. "Bastion? But... he's in... Ra Yellow..."

"That doesn't make sense... I thought he was staying with Syrus and Annie," Alexis agreed, looking at Jaden in utter bewilderment.

And back in Annie and Sy's room, the couple tore into Bastion and Violet's room. "He's not here!" Annie shrieked.

"Then he really was in the Ra dorm! Annie, we need to get over there!" Syrus said quickly, hoping that it was just a fluke. But somehow, deep down he knew Bastion was gone.

She looked at the room. "He... he planned it... We didn't stop him..." The tears were streaming down her face.

He took her hands. "Annie, you said earlier...you said that he looked like someone who'd chosen to commit suicide, right?" She shakily nodded. "Well...what if he left a note or something? Don't people usually do that before they commit suicide? I-I mean, not that he did...but it's like that, right?"

She nodded. "Maybe... L-Let's go down to Ra Yellow..."

It wasn't long before everyone in the group was down at Ra, including the teachers. The first person into the dorm was Professor Sartyr. "Everything looks normal," the teacher commented, looking around at the walls covered with the same formulas as they entered.

And then, he noticed the letter and PDA deposited neatly on the bed. With shaking hands, he opened it and read it aloud. "'To whomever is reading this, I have allowed Trueman to take me. I am not strong enough without Violet. She is my life and my world... and I cannot remain here... I can only hope to find her. So... please forgive me... Bastion.'"

Professor Sartyr wasn't the only one who found himself wiping away tears. The letter conveyed the depression they'd seen Bastion holding in quite well. "He really is gone... They took him," Syrus muttered, sniffing and rubbing at the tears brimming his eyes.

"He didn't even fight," Jaden groaned softly, tearing up.

"He couldn't take it," Tyson moaned, wetness forming in his green-brown eyes. Axel, not one for tears, closed his eyes, pursing his lips. Adrian, too, was silent. Mindy and Chazz were hugging tightly and Jasmine held onto Atticus. Blair had tears rolling down her face. But Annie, close to Syrus, suddenly straightened.

"Annie?" Syrus asked, looking at his fiancée.

"They invade our world... and we fall back," she murmured, as if in a trance.

"What??" Atticus stammered; the group's attention had turned to the brown-haired Obelisk.

"They take our friends and family, and we fall back..."

"Annie?" Jaden asked, eyes widening as he wiped his own tears from them. Syrus stared at the woman he loved, his arms still around her, wondering what she was getting at. He'd never seen her this way.

"Not again. The line must be drawn here. This far, no farther... And we will make them pay for what they've done," she finished, a fire in her eyes that was rarely there.

"Uh...Annie? What was that?" Alexis asked; all of them were pretty confused.

Annie blinked, coming out of the trance. "Captain Picard said it. _**Star Trek: First Contact.**_ He was talking about why he wouldn't destroy the Enterprise to stop the Borg. It was about revenge... but this is different. I think I know... how to stop Trueman from taking any more of us..."

"Ya do?! How??" Jesse asked, the tension in the room instantly dissolving into hope.

"We have to fight ourselves... We have to face our fears... our pain... our guilt," she said softly.

"Annie...are you saying what I think you're saying?" Jim asked, tilting his hat up a bit.

"We have to talk out what's hurting us... no matter how insignificant it seems to us. We have to tell each other... or more of us will fall to this," she answered.

The group of friends exchanged looks. "That...that makes sense..." Syrus muttered, the realization of it smacking them all like a ton of bricks to the face.

"Why didn't we see it before?" Jaden wondered. "I mean... we talk about stuff... don't we?"

The group quieted, quite a few looking away uncomfortably. Alexis frowned. "Not... not about that sort of thing, Jay... Remember what we talked about...last night?" she muttered.

"We have held back from each other," he realized. "Even me..."

"It's no wonder they were able to get at us so easily..." Atticus added, biting his lip.

"But one thing doesn't make sense... I never feared my dino leg," Tyson stated, puzzled. "But then... he showed me that world and how brutal it could be..."

"He knew that would offend your sense of battle honor," Axel explained, understanding a soldier's creed that killing in the heat of battle was one thing, but killing indiscriminately was quite another.

"Even if we don't know our fear, or don't have it yet, he can make us see it and give in to it," Jesse added.

"That would explain our nightmares," Jaden stated, stunned again. "Things we couldn't stop or didn't experience, but might have..."

He took a breath. "And... I've always been afraid I'd lose you guys... Lex, Atticus, Chazz, that's why it was so hard for me to tell you last summer about Yubel..."

The Rhodes siblings looked at each other. All three had large fears they needed to get off their chests as well. "We've all kept things from each other, Jay..." Atticus replied.

"Then... we've got to face this now... And it's gonna be a long night," Axel said in his typical calm way.

Dorothy, who had arrived with the teachers, nodded. "I'm going to get some drinks for you kids. Just tell me where you want to set up..."

"How about one of the Ra lounges?" Jim offered to the group. They needed space, but somewhere comfortable.

"Here is as good as anywhere on campus," Chazz agreed. "But how about the common room?" he asked Professor Sartyr.

"That's fine. It hasn't been used since the other Ras disappeared," the teacher answered, the sadness in his tone obvious.

"Thanks, Professor. We're gonna get 'em back. Jaden's gonna do it when it comes to dueling," the youngest Rhodes asserted.

"Chazz is right. If these guys are like any other villain we've faced... They're gonna get mad when they find out we've discovered how to stop them. And they'll attack us," Atticus agreed. Everyone nodded, knowing it was true. It was going to be a very long night.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

The group quickly set up their temporary quarters in the bright, airy Ra Yellow common room. Tyson built a fire in the fireplace and the rest of the gang set up blankets, pillows, chairs and the couch for everyone to sit on and be comfortable. Meanwhile in the kitchen, Dorothy ground up some coffee beans. "Mmmm... nothing like the smell of coffee beans... unless it's chai tea..."

Don was helping her make the drinks, partially to get his mind off of the loss of one of his favorite students. "You like chai tea, Dorothy?" he asked, looking over at the plump snack shop and card shop manager.

"Well, yeah... and I know at least one student in the common room that is addicted to it. She says it tastes like Christmas."

"Really? Who would that be?"

"Annie," the older woman said, straightening her glasses. "She loves the stuff and even shared her recipe."

Don smiled. "I thought it might have been her." The pair was making coffee for most of the group, as well as dark teas and a sweet tea for Jesse. But when Don moved to make the hot chocolate for those who didn't like tea or coffee, he had to stop himself from pulling out four packets. "It's so strange with those three missing," he said through a sigh, only grabbing two. Violet and Rosa weren't there, after all.

Dorothy sighed, laying a hand on the younger man's shoulder, for she was 10 years Don's senior. "It is... Their circle is broken... And those kids bring something very special to that group... Even little Marcel..."

"We need to get them back... And not just them, everyone... Maybe this is a step towards discovering how to do that," Don replied, looking at the bespectacled woman.

She nodded, looking out at the group setting up their comfortable looking battle zone. "If I know Auto Club and his friends, this is it, and they'll bring light to the darkness and shield the school from harmful rays... like they always manage to."

"And hopefully, this will be the last time such a responsibility will fall on their shoulders," he agreed.

Each of the teachers felt that way. "They've been through too much," Vellian Crowler sighed.

"Oui, but they must face this final challenge," Jean-Louis Bonaparte answered.

"Let's hope it's the final one, at least," Ben Stein added.

It wasn't long and they were ready. "Okay... who goes first?" Annie asked. "And I will warn you that despite Zane's intervention, I am still a novice in psychology..." A tense silence ensued, some of the group looking nervously at the other and some of them staring at the ground. No one seemed to want to go first, or were too nervous to do so.

Axel took a breath. "I'll go... I have stuff to get off my chest."

The others looked at him in surprise. "You do, Axel?" Jim asked his friend, blinking his one good eye.

Axel nodded. "It seemed dumb at the time, but... truth is, I don't think it is now. And Jim... buddy, I'm sorry I didn't say anything."

Jim shook his head. "No need to be sorry, mate. We're on equal ground." He, too, needed to get something off his chest.

"Well... Let's get to it... What do I do?" Axel asked, moving to the couch.

"Make yourself as comfortable as you can and remember that all of us are your friends and we care about you and what happens to you," Annie said in a soft, calm voice.

Axel took off his combat boots and his jacket and laid his duel disk down as well. "Axel... I'm sorry," Viper apologized in a whisper as he watched. He felt he had inadvertently added to the boy's darkness.

"You made up for it, my friend," Chancellor Shepherd smiled kindly. "Don't let that take you..."

Axel took another deep, cleansing breath. "You guys all know about my dad... How he died a few years ago in a combat mission, right?" When they all nodded, he continued, "And I told you about my brother, Asher, who died in Afghanistan..."

"Yeah, Axel, you did," Jaden answered, remembering them all talking about their families back in Domino as the girls recovered.

"Well, I didn't tell you guys, but when I was about 7, there was a bad fire at our house. It was a year after Asher died and I'd been looking at the medals he'd won for bravery and the flag that had been draped over his coffin. Anyway, there was an electrical short somewhere in the house and it started a fire. By the time I realized something was going on, half the house was already engulfed and part of the roof came in. I could hear Mama screaming from outside the house for me, and Dad holding her back. I grabbed Asher's medals and flag and tried to escape, but I was blocked in. I could hear them yelling for me, but... Then I blacked out. I woke up in the hospital a few hours later. And I didn't want my parents out of earshot for weeks after that..."

"Did you save your brother's medals and flag?" Syrus asked, knowing that might be a factor here.

Axel nodded. "But... that's not what scared me... See, I didn't know Mom and Dad were out of the house..."

He shivered at the memory. "I was afraid I'd lose them like I'd lost Asher. But... they'd have died in the fire... trapped..."

"So...you were afraid that if they were ever out of your sight or earshot...you'd lose them for sure?" Alexis tried, putting together the pieces.

Axel nodded. "And then... Dad died on that mission and it was just me and Mama." He took a steadying breath. "I'd have family to take care of me... but losing Dad, Asher and Mama... It'd be too much..."

"But you didn't lose your mom, right?" Atticus asked.

"No... and she's okay... for now... And if talking helps keep Trueman from taking her, I'll talk... and... I feel better," Axel realized, sitting up. The dark-skinned young man got up and walked over to his friend with the crocodile. "Thanks, man... Sorry I didn't tell you before..."

Jim smiled and held out his hand. "Like I said before, no worries, mate. At least now it's off your chest." Axel shook the offered hand. Despite all the group hugs, Axel Powell Brody was most definitely NOT a huggy person. But he did hold Jim's hand strongly.

Once Axel had sat down again in another spot in the room, Jim sighed. "I'd like to go next, if that's all right with everyone." Shirley, sitting at his feet, growled lightly and rubbed her snout against his leg.

"Of course, Jim," Annie answered for the group. "Please make yourself comfortable on the couch..."

Jim stood and went over to the couch, taking off his boots and his leather vest jacket. Lying down on the couch, he let out another breath as Shirley joined him at the foot of it. "Now...I just talk, right?" he asked, nervous. It was pretty strange for them to see the usually calm, confident duelist so nervous and worried about something.

Jaden moved forward from his seat. "Jim, it's okay, man... Whatever you've got to say, we're all here to help. We're your friends and we want to help."

"And yeah, just say what you need to say," Annie added gently. "No one here will judge you for what you're going to say. We all have our demons."

"Right..." Jim took another breath, collecting himself and his thoughts.

"Now, Axel, I've already told you this... But I haven't told the rest of you about my eye. I...suppose I was worried about what you blokes would think of it if I told you... I haven't always gotten good reactions in the past, ya know?" he began, taking off his hat. The bandages stuck out even more without its cover.

Axel took a breath. "It's okay, man... Remember back at the hospital when Pegasus showed us what happened to him?" he tried. "These guys took it pretty well..."

Jim nodded. "Yeah, but...that's how it would be normally. Mine's...not the same, Axel, you know... It scared a few Sheilas back at Duel Academy South; decided not to show anyone unless they asked after that."

Blair looked up at the Australian boy from the pillow she was sitting on. In her first year at Duel Academy Central, she had seen so much. It had matured her beyond her tender years and brought her the gift of restraint. "Jim, it's okay. We won't be scared. When I was younger... it might have, but whatever you're going to show us... We're not going to be scared..."

Jim stared at Blair for a few moments in surprise, but then smiled a little. If the youngest person there could say that, then it should be fine. So, he sat up and carefully unwound the bandages, gathering them in his hands. The light in the room glinted off of the dark iron of the base of his eye, the red Orichalcum gem glittering in the center. Running from the bottom of that eye was a fang-shaped scar that stopped at the middle of his cheek. "Well...there she is, then, mates," he muttered, still nervous about their reactions.

Everyone was silent for a moment, just looking. Finally, Tyson broke the silence. "That's an amazin' lookin' eye, soldier... How'd you get it, if you don't mind tellin' us?"

"It's beautiful," Jasmine added.

Jim blushed a little at the compliment; he'd never gotten one of those for his eye before. Reaching up to lightly touch the cool metal, he sighed. "It happened back when I was just a kid. Shirley was still a young croc then, and we were out in the bush gettin' rid of poachers' traps. But Shirley didn't see one, and she was headin' straight for it. I had to jump and push her away from it, and... Well, wouldn't you know it? There was a cliff, and we tumbled right over the blighter. I can't exactly remember what happened...I must've passed out during the fall. But somethin' wrecked my eye, and when I came to I was on the shore. My eye was sore and bandaged, but I was just glad Shirley was all right. Apparently, this old Aboriginal guru had saved me and put this in to replace my eye. He called it Orichalcum, and said that someday I'd end up usin' it to save a close friend. I've had it ever since, but I'm still not sure how it would ever be any help in rescuin' someone."

"Wow," Annie murmured reverently. "Jim... that's amazing... And maybe... Maybe this is the time you're going to use what you were given..." The others murmured agreement.

"Maybe... Come to think of it, you blokes are the first who actually asked how I got my eye after I showed you. Most people got scared and ran off...or, of course, teased about it. I think Shirley was really my only friend back at DA South... I was closer to animals my whole life. They don't judge you." He blushed a little in embarrassment at this admission. "I didn't really expect to make so many mates here... I guess I didn't tell you because I was scared you'd up and leave too..."

"That's what I was always scared of," Jaden admitted. "That's why it took me two years to tell everybody about Yubel. When you get called cursed and nobody'd play with you or hang out with you, you learn to keep quiet."

Jim nodded in understanding. "Exactly, mate. Getting called names like Cyclops out of fun was better than having half the student body scared of you and the other half spreading rumors about your eye. I guess...I really needed to just get this off my chest and tell somebody who was willing to listen and not take it as a joke. I feel...well, better." It felt as if a weight had been taken off of Jim's shoulders, a fear or worry he'd had deep down breaking to bits.

And then each member of the group stood and headed to give Jim a hug or lay a friendly hand on his shoulder. Jaden smiled. "Considering all that we've been through, you're downright normal... I mean... the stuff we've had to deal with, how we all got our monsters... Jim, you're normal!"

Jim laughed, bandaging his eye back up and putting on his hat. "Good point, Jaden. It's not a wonder we're all friends... When we're together, we're normal to each other."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, bro!" the smaller young man grinned. And then he sobered. "So... who goes next?"

Blair shivered, standing up from her pillow. "I'd... like to go... I know it's not much, but... Trueman could make it a big deal..."

Syrus nodded. "Whatever it is, Blair, we'll hear you out... And we'll help you through it, okay?"

Blair nodded, and moved to the couch, still shivering. "Um... Alexis?" she asked, amber eyes meeting the hazel-brown eyes.

"Yeah, Blair?" Alexis replied, trying to look at Blair with a kind sort of motherly gaze.

"Would... would you mind if Jaden sat by me?" the small girl asked unsteadily.

Alexis blinked in surprise, and a small part of her took on a jealous, possessive note. But she knew Blair wanted Jaden near for a different reason, and smothered that small part of her. "It's okay, Blair. If it's all right with him, then he can sit by you."

"Thanks, Alexis..."

And Jaden, without a word, moved close to the young girl. "It's okay, Blair. We won't leave you alone..." He put his arm around her in a brotherly way and smiled a little.

Blair smiled shakily. This felt different than it would have two years previously. Her feelings for Jaden that way had gone. "Okay... You guys all know I feel like I should've been able to help Marcel, not just with Trueman, but with all the hurt he went through. I keep thinking if I'd only been able to get him to talk to me sooner, it wouldn't have happened..."

"Maybe... But Blair, you really did help him open up and make progress with how he was feeling. If it wasn't for you, he probably wouldn't have had any friends at all," Atticus explained.

"Yeah... I just wish it had been enough," the girl sighed, fidgeting with the hem of her pleated red skirt. "I know that goes back to when I was at Domino Elementary. You all know that I went from the fourth grade to high school pretty fast... That kinda made me weird... I never could fit in right with the other kids... And I got teased a lot..." And Blair told them of her last days at Domino Elementary...

_"STOP IT, JIMMY! I didn't do anything to you!" Blair had shouted two weeks before the school year ended as she headed across the playground. Her classmate, Jimmy Hasegawa, was pelting her with pebbles._

_Jimmy was one of the tallest in his class, helping to even out his bulky build. He had fair hair and blue eyes, and freckles still dotted his face. He laughed, throwing some more pebbles at Blair. "So? You're still weird! You're going to high school next year; what kind of kid does that? I bet you think you're better than us! Well you're not!"_

_"I'm not better than you! I just studied really hard!" Blair countered as the pebbles smarted against her bare legs, beginning to draw blood. She was in her school's signature uniform, a navy blue skirt and white polo shirt, along with bobby socks and sneakers. Unfortunately that uniform afforded her legs very little protection. "And... you're hurting me!"_

_But Jimmy kept throwing, either ignoring her statement or not caring. "You studied really hard?? You're still a kid like us! Why would a kid study hard like that before they're even in high school?! You're not just weird...you're a freak! Teacher's pet!!"_

_And then one of Blair's other classmates, a snobby blonde girl named Lisa O'Hanlon, began to taunt as well, "Yeah, and you have to be walking with your chest stuck out! What are those, falsies?!" She stuck out her chest and walked so she was making fun of Blair's maturing figure. And then a big pebble hit an already vulnerable part of the raven-haired girl's leg and began to bleed. She somehow managed to get away from Jimmy and Lisa and headed to the school infirmary._

_The school nurse was a slim woman with brown curls that fell to her shoulders, and grass green eyes. The kids loved her for her sunny disposition and her friendly care for their problems. And now was no different as she smiled at Blair from her desk when she entered. "Hello, Blair. How are you, sweetie?"_

_"Hi, Ms. Furley... I need some Band-Aids," Blair said, tears in her eyes._

_"Oh, Blair..." Ms. Furley stood and went to the young girl, leaning down to place a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you sit down and tell me what happened? I'll get you some tissues and those Band-Aids..."_

_"Okay..." And so Blair poured her little heart out, how the kids teased and hurt her. "...I am weird. But I can't help that I'm smart and I can't stop studying stuff..."_

_By the time Blair had finished, there was a box of tissues beside her and the cuts were covered by Maiden in Love Band-Aids. Ms. Furley kneeled in front of Blair, taking her hand and offering her a gentle smile. "Honey... You aren't weird at all. You're just different, that's all. And you should be proud of your unique quirks. So you like studying...everyone likes something, don't they? It's good that you're such an active learner. Don't listen to what those kids say... They wish they could have such a wonderful work ethic and be as brilliant as you."_

_"But... why don't they like me?" Blair asked, echoing the pain of those who have been told that diversity should be celebrated, but then told by actions that it is more acceptable to be assimilated into the group. "I want them to like me..."_

_"Because they're jealous of your talent, Blair. And those who aren't jealous are probably confused by what you're getting to do. It's rare for a girl your age to be going to high school, sweetie. Have you tried to make some friends and explain this to anyone?"_

_Blair nodded sadly. "But every time I try, the more popular kids make it bad for them..."_

_Ms. Furley frowned. "That happens sometimes, honey. Those are the people who are jealous of the fact that you're so much smarter, that you work so much harder, and that you're getting a chance they won't. And when it comes to those people, you need to just stand up to them and tell them how it is. And stand up for the people you're trying to be friends with, to show them who really is the right person here. But if any of them get violent again, even a little, you tell a teacher or me right away. Okay? You should never resort to violence for anything."_

_Blair nodded sadly. She'd heard all of this before. "Thanks, Ms. Furley..."_

_The nurse smiled and helped Blair onto her feet. "You're welcome, Blair. I'll write you a pass for your class..." _

"So, I never had friends there," Blair finished in the present day. "Even in the beginning, it didn't matter what I did... I never was good enough..." The tears came and she felt the warmth of Jaden's wiry arms. And then she felt another pair of arms that belonged to a decidedly more feminine figure.

"Blair... I understand what it feels like to be teased because you're different from everyone. It may have been for a different reason, but I've been in similar situations. Do you want to know what the truth is about being good enough?" Alexis asked, looking down at the much younger female.

"Y-yeah. What is it?"

"The truth is that the people making fun of you were the ones who weren't good enough. They weren't good enough to be friends with someone as sweet, kind, and caring as you are. You cared about Marcel so much, and tried so hard to take care of him. You would have been a very good friend to any of those kids. And you're brave and confident too. You came here in disguise to accomplish your goal, and nothing could stop you. Could any of those kids who bullied you do any of those things?"

Blair moved slightly to wipe her eyes. "N-no..." And then she smiled a little. "Jimmy couldn't duel... And Lisa... I beat her easily."

"So you see? They were wrong in everything they said to you... If they had been fair, you would have easily showed that you were the stronger person there."

"You did, Blair!" Jaden agreed with his fiancée. "Man, you were 8 and a half when you showed up here. And you gave me a run for my money..."

"Did I really make Burstinatrix mad?" the small girl asked, remembering that duel and how irritated a certain female Elemental Hero had seemed.

Said duel spirit appeared, and she smirked. "At the time, yeah. I was pretty burned up. But after I cooled off I could tell you didn't mean anything by it... How were you supposed to know Avian and I were married?"

Blair sweat-dropped. "Well, sorry, anyway! You were really cool!"

"It's all right. And thanks; Maiden in Love isn't so bad herself, either," Burstinatrix replied, grinning.

Blair was smiling when the female E-Hero disappeared. "Thanks, guys... I feel so much better."

"Just remember, Blair. You aren't alone anymore and you most definitely aren't a freak," Annie asserted from her seat.

"And if anyone tells you otherwise, just stand up to them and tell us. Okay?" Alexis added.

"You've got it," Blair answered, pulling away from Jaden and hugging the older girl tightly. "Thanks, Alexis..."

"You're welcome, Blair," Alexis said, hugging back.

Blair took her place back at the pillow seat, and the group looked around at each other. "I'll go next," Alexis spoke up after a few moments of silence, still sitting on the couch Blair had recently occupied.

_And the battle to save those taken has begun. This battle, as you can see, is playing out differently than in canon. However, it is to a good purpose. Next time, Alexis, Aster and Chazz will face their own demons in "Piercing Darkness Part II." Until next time, please read, review and stay tuned. Thank you!_


	28. Piercing Darkness Part II

Chapter XXVIII: Piercing Darkness Part II

_Welcome back, everyone to the next chapter of __**Darkness Falls**__. We are glad to see you back again, even as Darkness makes his move and the gang deals with its own darkness. Thank you, everyone as usual, for reading and reviewing! And before we go on, your co-authors would like to make an announcement. We are proud to present our new forum, RESPECT! It's in the General forums, so everyone from every fandom can participate. We want a fun, safe place where young authors and seasoned authors can relax and enjoy themselves. Check it out! And so, onto the story!_

_Last time on "__**Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Darkness Falls,"**__ Trueman came and took a horrendously depressed Bastion. And then, the gang realized just how to stop Darkness and Trueman from taking anyone else in their group. And so Axel, Jim and Blair shared their inner pain in the Ra Yellow common room. And then Alexis volunteered to tell her own fears and pain. So what will happen next? Just stay tuned!_

_**Disclaimer: Must we go over this… again? We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. We, Peach and Ani, wish we did.**_

_Authors' notes: Alexis's darkness definitely differs from canon here. Rather than dealing with her fear of being a bad teacher, she deals with the darker fear of losing the people she loves most. As for Aster, one would assume that he had issues from losing his father and then the man that was supposed to love and protect him turning out to be his father's murderer. Aster might seem a bit out of sorts here, but we think it's understandable and we don't see every moment of a person's life on screen._

_**Warning:**__ This is a very intense chapter and there are mentions of physical, mental and sexual abuse, as well as something sexual done in desperation. Your stomachs may turn at this._

"Babe, I'm right here," Jaden murmured. "Do you want to lie down?"

"No...That's okay. I'd rather sit," Alexis answered, taking in a deep breath to calm herself.

"Okay," he answered.

"Sis, do you need us?" Chazz asked, standing up from his chair next to Atticus.

"Yeah...I think I will... Can you guys sit over here with me?" Alexis asked.

"Sure thing, sis," Atticus answered. Her brothers sat on the couch along with her and Jaden.

"We're right here, Lexi," Chazz said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah...just take your time and talk it out," Atty added, placing a hand over hers.

Alexis sighed and nodded. "I know... I really need to talk about this, because...last night, I got a nightmare about it..."

"Okay, Alexis... all of us are here," Jaden said, remembering how Annie had talked. "And we aren't leaving... just talk it out..."

"Sis... it's okay," Chazz reassured her. "We don't want you to disappear too..."

"Well... All it really is, I guess, is this guilty feeling I have... That I haven't been able to protect you guys at some point, from something... Like, Chazz, I wasn't able to stop your brothers from beating you outside that restaurant," Alexis explained, frowning deeply and looking at her black-haired brother.

"But I was okay," he said, and then caught the look in her eyes... "You... saw me dead?"

She bit her lip and nodded slowly, looking down. "You died...and there was nothing I could do... And all I could feel was the guilt of not being there to protect you..."

Jaden moved aside, keeping his fiancée's hand in his, but giving Chazz enough room to hug his sister. "Lexi... I lived... And you protected me... even when I didn't think I was worth being protected..."

Alexis hugged back, comforted by the embrace and his words. "I know you lived... I just wish I could have protected you more...each time you were hurt by those monsters..."

"You did what you could... and it was more than enough," he answered gently. The young man that was hugging her now had evolved beyond the boy that he'd been when they first met. He was now more comfortable with himself and grateful to be her brother and friend. And now, he wanted her to feel better.

"Maybe...but you weren't the only one... Atty, Jay...I couldn't protect either of you... I couldn't protect Atticus from getting taken and used by Kagemaru... And I couldn't stop your nightmares from terrorizing you, Jaden..." This fact obviously pained her, tears wanting to form though she held them back.

The young men who loved her best held her in a tight hug. "Babe... you did help me through it," Jaden murmured. "I couldn't have made it through without you... You held me... You let me know you weren't going to disappear..."

"And Lexi, sis, you were there to protect me... You didn't give up on me while I was gone, and you were there for me the whole time I was in the infirmary," Atticus reminded her, brother love in his brown eyes.

Alexis couldn't take it, and she felt the tears come and spill over her cheeks. "I...I care about you guys so much... You're always protecting me...I want to keep you safe too..."

"Babe... let it out," Jaden murmured. "You keep us safe."

"And you keep us from doing really stupid stuff," Chazz added gently.

"And you stand up for us too," Atticus stated quietly. Alexis knew what they said was true, and felt the guilt that had collected over the years ease slowly out of her with the tears. She really had been protecting them all this time, to the best of her abilities. Alexis buried her face in Jaden's shoulder, crying out her fears of failing the men she loved.

Jaden rocked her softly, murmuring reassurance as she cried against him. "It's all right...shhh... let it out, babe... it's okay... We're all gonna be okay... shhh..."

After a few minutes of crying, Alexis had cried out all of her tears. She pulled away slightly, sniffing a little with red and puffy eyes. "Th-Thanks...guys... Jay, Atty, Chazz..."

"Love you, babe," Jaden answered.

"Yeah... love you, sis," Chazz added, taking the tissue box Annie held out. "Here... take this."

Alexis took the tissue gratefully and dried her eyes. "Thanks, bro..."

"And you know your big bro loves you too, little sis. Always have and always will," Atticus stated with a grin.

Alexis couldn't help but smirk a little, giving her brother a shove. "You're such a ham..."

"Yeah, big bro! You make William Shatner look calm onscreen," Chazz smirked.

Atticus pulled his little brother into a playful chokehold, using his free hand to give him a noogie. "Oh yeah? Well I like the spotlight, thank you very much! Mr. Shatner was a big role model for me."

"Oh, lord," Annie groaned, laughing. "Atticus, do **not** sing Rocket Man! For every note you sing, I shall kill you," she said, imitating Stewie Griffin.

"Funny, that's what Zane said the last time I told him Mr. Shatner was my role model," Atty said as he released Chazz.

The entire room erupted with laughter, and the teachers, watching outside the room, laughed as well. "Oh, my goodness!" Fonda laughed happily.

Don laughed along with her. "It's wonderful that Atticus can lighten the mood so easily."

"That's his gift," the nurse smiled. "This is going very well... But what's coming?" she wondered, sobering.

"I'm not sure, Fonda. Let's hope it stays this way...and nothing gets out of hand," he answered.

Back in the room, Aster stood up. "Can I go next?" Everyone knew the white-blonde blue-eyed teen had issues, but still, for him to volunteer was a slight shock.

"Uh... sure?" Jasmine answered, eyes wide.

"You don't need to go now if you don't want to, Aster," Atticus added.

"I think I need to," Aster countered, meeting the other's brown-eyed gaze. "And... you guys are all going to be surprised by some of it. I didn't tell you certain things about what happened with my dad and then Kyle... You heard Kyle died..."

"Yeah... Do you know how he died, Aster?" Syrus asked.

"Yeah... he... died when his yacht blew up..." Aster took an unsteady breath. "You see, I was there when it happened... I found out from Sartorius that Kyle had the card that my dad had made right before... it happened..."

"So...you went to get the card from him?" Jesse asked.

"He invited me," Aster explained. "I guess he knew I was going to track him down, so... he decided to confront me himself. And... 'Tie up a loose end' because I'd go to the police and his dueling career would be over..."

"Wait a second. You don't mean that bloke tried to kill you, do you?" Jim interrupted, causing everyone to look at Aster in anticipation for his answer.

Aster looked away for a minute, closing his eyes. When he opened them again and looked back at the group, there was the unmistakable sheen of tears in his eyes. "Aster?" Annie asked softly, remembering the dinner back nine months previously.

"I couldn't tell any of you then... but...he did want to kill me... like he murdered my dad. All that time... from he adopted me... He knew my dad was dead and he was the murderer. And... The only reason he ultimately took me in was because... he didn't want to get caught!" Aster's face contorted from pain to anger and back again. "He... he didn't really care!" the young man in the dove-gray suit cried out.

For a few seconds, the group couldn't help but sit in stunned silence. And then, Atticus stood and went to the silver-haired young man. But he didn't touch him yet; he knew that might be a bad idea to do too soon. "Aster, calm down a little... It's good that you're letting this out, but too much will only make it worse. Just relax a little," he said soothingly. Atticus pulled a lot on his brotherly instincts for this, remembering the few times Alexis or Chazz had been upset.

"You... you weren't there," Aster managed to say in a slightly calmer voice. "You... didn't see him. It wasn't just that weird light..."

"The Light of Destruction?" Jaden asked for confirmation.

Aster nodded again. "Yeah, it wasn't just that... He wanted power... and he thought taking that card my dad designed would give it to him." The young man kept his breathing even with great effort. "He'd seen the card... because of me..." And then, the usually calm Aster Edward Phoenix broke down crying.

Atticus, once again on brotherly instinct, pulled the younger teenager into a hug. "It's okay, Aster... Let it all out... What do you mean he'd seen the card because of you?"

Aster hugged back for a long moment and then sighed. "This was back when Dad and I lived in San Jose, near Industrial Illusions' offices there. And that day, my dad's drawing of this new monster dropped out his window. I ran after it and this guy had found it... That guy was Kyle, and that night he came to our house... I was five and my whole world died that night..." He shook in Atticus's arms. "It was my fault... My fault..."

"Aster... You were five. How were you supposed to know that guy was dangerous? He could have been any other stranger on the street," Atticus said comfortingly.

"He said... I led him right to Dad and me..."

"Aster," was the mutter around the room.

"That poor boy," Vellian Crowler muttered in the teachers' area, even though he was one of the few people who knew the truth.

"Aster... could you have predicted what happened that night?" Annie tried gently.

"No... But I should've."

"How could you when you were only five?" she asked him.

Aster hadn't considered that. "I don't know..."

"You could have run into anyone else on that street, Aster. It was only chance that you ran into him...and that he did what he did," Syrus added.

Aster blinked. "Yeah... I just... wish I could've saved Dad..."

"Aster... you couldn't have known... And Kyle fooled everybody all that time... and maybe on some level... he did love you as a son," Jaden tried.

Aster groaned. "I don't think so now..."

"Aster... What was your life like with Kyle?" Syrus asked, hoping the pro duelist could focus on happier times.

It was a good question for Syrus to ask. And it was one that Aster hadn't really talked about. "You've all read about me... I had everything a kid could want after Kyle took me in. He was the Pro League champ and could buy me toys, send me to the best schools and let me do whatever I wanted. He was away a lot and so I got taken care of by nannies and then I could take of myself..."

The platinum-blonde teen closed his eyes, thinking back. "When I was about 8, I got through high school... and by the time I was 10, I got a BA in pre-law from USC. And when I was 12, I got a business degree from Domino U. And that summer, I got tired of school, so Kyle let me stay out and go back when I wanted. I was already taking different sports classes, so I started taking up more dangerous stuff. I wanted to do more risky stuff and... I needed to find out who took my dad. He was gone without a trace, and I was going to find him, no matter what it cost me... And some of those things I learned to do... I felt a rush..." A slight smile came to the young man's features, thinking of his snowboarding, skydiving and waterskiing. "It was... incredible... and I didn't hurt when I did stuff like that."

"The rush of adrenaline cleared your head, mate. It made you focus entirely on what you were doing," Jim explained knowingly.

"I didn't have to think about how I felt... I just focused on that feeling... And at least I felt something. I actually felt... alive..."

"You mean... you just felt numb," Chazz offered. It wasn't a question. It seemed the raven-haired Slifer was digging from his own experiences. "That's why you did crazy stuff..."

"Aster," Annie asked slowly, grateful for her research into the various facets of psychology, "were you ever treated for trauma or dissociative disorders?"

"No... I was fine..." He stated it matter-of-factly, but no one was buying it.

"Aster... were you really okay?" Jaden asked, knowing that same tone.

And the young man with the sapphire-blue eyes looked straight at the other young man. "No... But... that's what Kyle needed me to be... It could've been damaging to his career if I was anything less than okay."

"Do you think he knew something was wrong, though?" Alexis asked, knowing it was possible.

"He knew... he just didn't care... I had nightmares after Dad was gone and I was getting used to the new house with Kyle, but... But he said I just needed to let it go and tell the social worker I was happy... I didn't think anything of it at the time..." Aster's voice had taken on a flat, emotionless tone.

Atticus was still holding the teen in a hug, not having let go because Aster hadn't let go. Now he knew what needed to be brought to light. "Well, Aster... He may not have cared... But all of us do. We care about you and what you're feeling, and we want you to be able to be happy. Everyone deserves that much."

Aster held onto the large Obelisk. "That's not the worst, though..." His voice was just above a whisper and everyone leaned forward to listen. "When I confronted him on his boat, he showed me where part of my dad was... And when we dueled... I... had to let Dad go..."

"Aster, what do you mean? What happened?" Annie asked.

"He was trapped in the wings of Destiny Hero Plasma... And I had to use Destiny Hero Dark Angel to destroy it." The usually calm boy's voice rose uncontrollably as he tried to fight hot tears again. "I know he was gone already, but I couldn't free Dad without blasting him!" And then the tears fell. Aster's calm facade broke, revealing a very vulnerable young man in extraordinary pain. Aster sobbed hard against Atticus's chest, letting all the pain and hurt of the past 10 years pour out. He had held so much in over that time that now he was feeling every emotion he'd held back.

Atticus just held the silver-haired teen, rubbing his back soothingly and muttering words of comfort. He found himself enacting his big brother role a lot lately, but he didn't mind. He was glad to help his friends. "It's okay, Aster...shh... Just let it all out..."

And then Aster felt more pairs of arms around him, letting him know he wasn't alone. "Aster...Remember what Zane, Sy and I told you at the end of summer right before the all-night party?" Annie asked him. Unable to speak, he nodded. "And what Will and Darla said?" Another nod. "You have all of us. And we're glad to be your family..."

Finally, the boy got control of himself. "Th-thanks, guys... I don't feel so weighed down anymore. It still hurts but... it's not as bad anymore..."

"It might hurt for a while longer, Aster. But it'll slowly heal... And we'll help you, okay?" Atticus explained reassuringly.

Aster managed a smile. "Yeah... Thanks everybody... And... I'll help you, too..."

"We know you will, Aster... And we also know you have already," Jaden grinned.

Once Aster had fully calmed down and the group was relaxed again, it was time for someone else to go. Those who had yet to do so exchanged nervous and wary glances. Charles Xavier Rhodes looked at his friends and his big brother and sister. "I'll go..."

Atticus had been about to say the same thing, but decided maybe it was best that his brother go first. "Do you want us by you, bro?" Alexis asked.

Chazz nodded. "I'm ready to tell you guys everything... and I need you here... Karen said I had to be ready to tell you what I've told her," he stated in a pained voice. "And... you're gonna get mad when you hear it..."

"Chazz, little bro, there is no way we're going to get mad at you for anything," Atticus replied seriously.

"It's not at me... You'll be angry at what... they did... angrier than you've been already..." The entire group looked at each other worriedly. What could be worse than his brothers beating him for most of his life, as well as their horrible treatment of him?

Annie took a shaky breath, worried about what was coming. Had Chazz been abused in _every_ way possible? 'They... were that low,' she thought, trembling slightly.

Syrus reached over to grip her hand, sending her a comforting look. "Chazz...whatever it is, we'll help you talk it out," he said.

The young man nodded and headed to the couch. His brother and sister took their places at either side of him holding his hands. "Okay..."

"Bro, we're all here," Jaden said softly.

"Yeah, soldier. We don't leave a man behind," Tyson added gently.

"Just say what you need to say, Chazz. We're here to support ya, bud," Jesse stated with a nod.

Adrian too, added, "It'll be okay."

And so Chazz began his own tale. "When I was a baby, both Mom and Dad died in a year of each other. Mom died when I was a month old and my dad committed suicide on my first birthday. And for a long time, my former brothers made me think it was all my fault. They never treated me like a brother that I can remember. Maybe they were nice once, but they got twisted somehow. They went to college and got their educations and made sure I got into the best schools. And one night, they decided I needed to know what real men did..."

"What real men did?" Alexis asked slowly. Of course she knew what he likely meant, she was just hoping she was wrong and it was something else.

Chazz nodded, closing his eyes. When he'd been with Karen in the summer, this was the hardest thing for him to talk about. "Y-yeah... One night, when I was about seven, I was watching TV and I heard noise coming from their bedroom suite in the house. So I walked up there to see what was going on, and... there were clothes all over the floor... Women's clothes as well as their suits..." He could see that scene in his mind all too well. It had been a cool fall evening, and that night a part of his innocence had disappeared forever.

Most of the group was watching Chazz, hoping he wouldn't say it but somehow knowing he would. Alexis and Atticus were looking sadly at their brother, trying to brace themselves for what was coming. Chazz had been right; it was going to make them angry, if it was what they suspected. Jaden's fists were rapidly clenching and unclenching. 'If they hurt him...' He didn't dare complete the thought, and his eyes were flashing.

Chazz could sense his friends and family's horror and anger, but he knew he had to continue. "So... I went into the room and they... were... with hookers..."

Alexis couldn't take it. "Chazz...please tell me that's as far as it went..."

"I wish it was, but it wasn't... S-Slade and J-Jagger must've heard me, because they looked up from what they... were doing... and told me to stay and watch..."

Annie's face went very pale. "Jesus, Mary, Joseph... why do these things happen?" she moaned softly.

Alexis and Atticus were both obviously trying to hold back their anger. Alexis had her face buried in her free hand and was visibly shaking. Atticus's free hand was clenched into a fist and he was silently gritting his teeth. "Those..."

Each of the teens had looks of rage and horror on their faces. But Chazz managed to quell their fears of how bad it had been. "They didn't make me do anything with the hookers that night. I was seven, so I was way too young anyway... But... they made me watch everything they did with those women... And they did a lot..." What Chazz told them left little to the group's collective imagination.

And in the next room where the teachers were monitoring the situation, Chancellor Shepherd groaned. "That poor boy... how did he stand it?" Fonda, meanwhile, was crying silently. Don had his arms around her, murmuring soothing words to her. He knew how much this was upsetting her; it was upsetting them all. In fact, Professor Viper took several deep breaths and then walked out of the dorm and out away from the students, needing to scream his own rage. It was a hard thing to think that someone could violate a child in such a way, and as a parent, it enraged him.

And back in the room, the other two Rhodes siblings stood at the same time. They looked at each other in slight surprise. "Lexi...you go ahead first. I can wait," Atticus said quietly, seeing the rage in his sister's eyes, mirroring his own inner turmoil.

Alexis nodded. "Chazz, bro...I just need to leave the room for a second...okay?"

Chazz nodded. "Okay, sis..."

Alexis let go of his hand as Atticus sat back down, leaving the sitting room and heading outside of the dorm. However, if the group was expecting shouting and curses, they would be surprised. Alexis wasn't one to blow up in that sort of fashion. She was as silent in her rage as in her crying, and with a low growl she threw her fist into the strong bark of a nearby tree. Alexis barely registered the pain that tore through her now bruised knuckles, punching the solid surface with her other hand. Tears burned at her eyes, half from pain and half from anger. What Chazz told her had upset her greatly, and each punch was aimed at one of the elder Princeton brothers. Not the tree. It was blood from their broken noses and busted teeth, not her hands.

Jaden, just thirty seconds after she'd left the room, said quickly, "I'll be right back!" And he headed outside to see her punching the tree. "Lex? LEX!" he called out to her.

Alexis punched the tree one last time, finally causing the bark to splinter and crumble. Her fist shakily loosened, palm sliding down the trunk as she dropped to her knees. Her head hung, shoulders shaking as fresh tears spilled to the grass. It mixed with the blood that had fallen from her scraped and bruised knuckles, which were still bleeding and tingling with tiny bursts of pain.

"Alexis," Jaden called, running up to her, "babe..." He pulled her into a hug, kneeling with her. "Shh... you hurt yourself..."

Alexis rested her forehead on his shoulder, letting the tears fall. Her aching hands shakily rested against his chest, her blood barely showing up against the red uniform blazer. "J-Jaden...what they did... I-I can't forgive them...it's too much... Th-They hurt him..."

He rocked her softly in his arms, and took a breath. "I know, I know... How he survived.... and I don't think he's done..."

"I just wish I could help him more... I wish I could make it all just go away for him," she murmured, sniffling a little.

"We all do," he answered, unable to hide his own tears. "I mean, as bad as I had it... I had a mom and dad who loved me and protected me. They would've KO'd somebody who tried to do what Slade and Jagger did..."

"I would too... If they were here right now... Jay, I don't know if I could hold myself back... They're lucky they're in prison..."

"That wouldn't keep 'em safe, though... I asked Dad what happens to people who hurt kids when they're in jail... They're lucky they aren't in the general population of a maximum security jail..." And in the dark, Jaden's eyes flashed golden. "They wouldn't last long..."

Alexis rubbed at her eyes, ridding them of the last few tears. So she didn't see the flash of gold, too busy trying now to wipe off the blood on her face. "Jaden..."

His eyes flashed back to the normal warm brown shade. "Babe... you're getting blood on your face... Let's get back in there, okay? And let's get you fixed up..."

"O-Okay," She muttered as they stood, fists slowly clenching and unclenching to ease the soreness in her knuckles.

"Chazz still needs you... we all do..." And he put his arm around her as they walked.

Miss Fontaine met them at the door, and it was evident she'd been crying. But she managed a smile. "C'mon, Alexis, let's fix you up... What did you hit?"

"Just my hands... Mainly my knuckles, I'm pretty sure," Alexis answered, holding up the battered appendages.

"I meant, what did you hit with your knuckles?"

"She hit that oak tree outside," Jaden explained as the nurse got out her medical kit.

"That would explain the splinters," the nurse sighed, smiling a little.

"I...just punched the first thing I saw," Alexis admitted, flushing a little and looking down.

"It's all right... Professor Viper was so angry, he actually headed out for a moment," Fonda soothed as she pulled splinters.

Alexis winced, grimacing a little. "Atticus wanted to leave too... But he might have calmed down by now..."

Fonda was quick with the splinters. "Yeah. His big brother instincts took over and he stayed there. Chazz hasn't said any more."

"Is he waiting for me...?" Alexis wondered aloud, glancing in the direction of the sitting room.

"I think he is... He needs his sister, too," the nurse answered as she put some disinfectant on the wounds.

The teen girl hissed slightly in pain, gritting her teeth together. "I'll head back as soon as you're done..."

"That's the plan," Fonda smiled. She got some healing medicine on the wounds and then bandaged them. "There we are, all fixed... Now go on in there, both of you."

"Thanks, Miss Fontaine," Alexis said as they stood and made their way back to where the group was still sitting and waiting for them.

Chazz looked up from the safety of his brother's arms. "Sis? You okay? Slacker, is that blood?!"

"It's all right... she's patched up," Jaden explained lamely.

"I...had a fight with a tree." Alexis stated quietly as she sat down beside her brothers, turning a little red.

Atticus sighed. "At least it wasn't a fight with the building..."

"You hit the tree... 'cause you want to hit them, right?" Chazz asked.

Alexis frowned, glancing away as she nodded slightly. "I lost my temper... And they'd deserve it, anyway."

The youngest Rhodes took a breath. "Lexi... that wasn't the end... and I wish it was... After that night, they took me places kids should never go. Because they had money, they could make it so I didn't seem to be in a place I shouldn't be. Green makes a great invisibility cloak... And the day I got accepted into Duel Academy, they told me I needed to celebrate like real men do..." Alexis had her face in her now bandaged hand again. She listened to him, keeping her anger in check. Atticus, too, was bracing himself for whatever Chazz was about to tell them. Even if he knew he'd get angry and end up leaving anyway. "They took me out that night and got a hooker and told her I was old enough for her. I'd just turned 15 and... I didn't want to. But they took me to a hotel and said, 'Have fun...' The gal... she was about my age... said she'd do whatever I wanted. They'd paid her to spend the night with me. I told her I didn't want to lose it, but my brothers expected me to... But she said we could just talk, so that's what we did... And then about midnight, Slade called to check on our... progress... And he told me he wanted to see some evidence... but not pictures..." He shuddered. "Pictures could come back to haunt them..."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Annie moaned, feeling like she'd fallen into a sewer.

"What did you do?" Alexis managed to ask. Syrus gripped Annie's hand, squeezing a little.

"Well... at least they insisted on...safe practices so I was able to trick them into thinking I'd done something with her. I went into the bathroom and..." He went red at what he was about to admit to doing, especially in front of his girlfriend, his sister and his female friends who he thought of as sisters. "I manufactured some evidence."

Most of the group could guess what the black-haired Slifer had done, cheeks all turning red. "You don't need to get into details, little bro... Did they leave you alone after that?" Atticus asked hopefully.

"Yeah... and the hooker said I was...good. So I got out of it... And they didn't find out about that. But they expected me to have a girlfriend at school... Sis, I already liked you, but you weren't interested," he admitted. "But... they kept pressing..."

"They didn't do anything worse to you because I rejected you so much, did they?" Alexis asked, meeting his eyes and frowning.

"No... They told me to keep trying and figure a way to get you to go with me... And they got mad at me when I kept losing..."

Jaden looked at him. "I didn't help you at all..."

"Jaden... Slacker... they would've been mad at me no matter what," the other boy answered. "They didn't care..."

"He's right, Jaden. Even if he did meet their expectations, they'd only end up raising them until he'd be unable to do it. They just wanted to hurt him the whole time," Atticus realized, pulling his brother into a hug.

"And I left Duel Academy, not because of you or Bastion... I left because I knew what they were gonna do to me when they found out I kept getting beat by supposedly 'inferior' duelists. But Bastion and you were better than me... You still are..."

"Chazz..." Jaden stood and moved to hug his friend. "Man... how did you survive that?"

"I just did..."

Syrus looked at Annie; she had the psychology knowledge, after all. "Annie? Do you know something he might've done to survive it?"

She thought about it. "The thing is... Chazz... what kept you going?"

He thought about it. "I saw other kids without bruises they had to hide... I saw them with their moms and dads... They were happy... I knew things were different and I held onto that... But for a while, I dreamed of becoming more powerful than Slade and Jagger... Then I realized after I dueled Slade that last time... I was better than them. And I had people around me who actually cared what happened to me. I just trusted you guys a little, but it was enough."

Annie smiled. "That's it. Chazz, you held on because you were able to trust again... And you knew that what they were doing wasn't right." She kept the smile on her face. "Chazz knew what was going on wouldn't be forever... And that, combined with us, held him together..."

Chazz was silent for a moment. "You know... that's actually right, Annie," he said finally. "I held on because I hoped someday... it'd be better..."

"And it is now. And it's going to stay that way, bro," Alexis replied, smiling.

"I know... and... there's something I'd like to do if I can..."

"What's that, Chazz?" Atty asked curiously.

"I want to tell a different version of my life... and how it should've been," Chazz managed to smile through his puffy eyes.

The original Rhodes siblings exchanged glances of surprise. "Sure, Chazz. Go ahead..."

"This is how my life should've been... When I was a baby, my mom and dad died, and my brothers realized that they couldn't take care of me. And so they looked for a good family to adopt me. And in a nice house across town, they found the family. The parents' names were Jack and Jean Louise, better known to her friends as Scout..." And so the boy told of an alternate world where he grew up with the people he now called siblings. "And so we attended Duel Academy together and had a lot of friends around us. And this year, I'm going to watch my sister get married."

When he finished, Alexis and Atticus pulled their brother into a hug. "If only things had happened that way," Alexis muttered, a small smile on her face.

Atticus grinned. "Even if it didn't, we're together now and that's what really matters."

"Yeah... and now I can be here for you..."

They all knew what was coming next. And it wouldn't be pretty. "Uh... should we do Rock, Paper, Scissors?" Jaden wondered out loud.

"Well...who still has something they need to get off their chest? Raise your hand," Atticus stated, raising his own and looking around at the group.

Jaden raised his and Adrian raised his. Annie and Sy looked at each other in surprise. "I think... I'm okay," she said, blinking. "I'm really okay..."

Syrus nodded. "So am I... I already fixed what was wrong when we helped Zane."

"And I'm just fine," Jesse added truthfully.

"Then...guess it's just us three," Atticus said, looking from Jaden to Adrian. "I...I'll go next, guys."

_As we all know, Atticus was once Nightshroud. And throughout the canon series, we saw that evil presence rear its head again and again, only to find it was the ultimate evil. But in this series, how will Atticus confront his dark side? Stay tuned next for "Piercing Darkness Part III." Until next time, please read and review! Thank you!_


	29. Piercing Darkness Part III

Chapter XXIX: Piercing Darkness Part III

_Hello again, __**Darkness Falls**__ fans. Welcome back to the story! Thank you, everyone, for reading and reviewing and sticking with us. We're very pleased and grateful that you have, despite how dark this story has become. Fortunately, things will turn around for the gang. But right now… let's just say it won't be pretty. So hang onto one of the more intense sections of this particular Yugi-verse…_

_Last time, Alexis, Aster and Chazz shared their shadows. Aster revealed what happened with Kyle Jables, aka the D, as well as his own past. Chazz told everyone what he had been unable to tell them the previous summer and throughout the school year. Everyone reacted in various ways to this, and then Atticus volunteered to go. He seemed very nervous and that is where we continue…_

_**Boring legal stuff… again: No, we don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. If we did, we could screw rules and have money! Yay! Money! Oh, yes… we also don't own the songs mentioned in this chapter. If we did, we wouldn't be doing this for money… we'd be doing this for a whole load of money!**_

_Authors' note: The confrontation shown here definitely differs from canon! And some spiritual elements have made it into this confrontation._

"All right... What are we facing?" Annie asked, wondering if she needed to do anything special.

Atticus sighed, obviously second-guessing himself. He knew what his issues might bring, and had tried to hold it off until last. But something told him to go next, so he did. "We're facing...him," Atticus muttered, gaze turning to the ground as he frowned. He was afraid giving "him" a name would make things worse.

Most of the gang knew who "he" was except for Tyson, Aster and Blair. "Who's... he?" Blair dared ask.

"It's Nightshroud," Chazz answered, shivering.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Back in the World of Darkness, Yusuke looked through the mirror to Earth. "I should've summoned him..."

"Summoned who, Yusuke?" asked the same gruff voice as before, the red eyes appearing moments later.

"Nightshroud," the teen answered. "I was the one trying to summon him that night so I could forget everybody..."

"But aren't you happier like this, Yusuke? Rather than being possessed by a being of Darkness, you are the Prince of Darkness... Besides, without Nightshroud, Atticus would not have survived the Shadow Realm. You did him a favor," The creature hissed, partially lying.

"I did," Yusuke answered, but deep in his heart, he knew he would much have preferred to have Nightshroud's power.

"Now, you may continue to watch what is going on. But do not interfere with anything. Am I clear, Yusuke?" the voice asked in a commanding tone.

"Of course, my master," Yusuke answered, watching the situation unfold.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Back on Earth, the group changed the room so Atticus had a lot of space. Annie took out some holy water from her skirt pocket. "It's an evil spirit... This is where I think psychology meets the spiritual..."

Atticus sighed, clearly worried now. "I don't even know if it's a spirit...or something else. He feels different...who knows, maybe he's like Trueman. What do you guys think?" he asked, fists clenching and unclenching nervously.

Jaden looked at him quietly. "Whatever Nightshroud is... we're about to deal with him... We just know he's evil and took you over..."

Atticus seemed about to say something, but then hesitated. He looked like he was debating whether or not to say something, likely about Nightshroud and what Jaden had just said.

"Bro, what is it?" Chazz asked.

The eldest Rhodes brother glanced over at his youngest sibling, frowning. "He did take me over... And since then, he's been trying to do it again," he muttered, looking away.

Alexis's eyes widened in horror. "What?! Atty...Why didn't you tell us??"

"I didn't want to worry you guys... There was so much going on already... And I held him off..."

"Bro... it's not bad to tell when something that bad is going on with you," Jaden said. "Remember how creeped out I was when... he showed up in the fall?" Deep within Jaden was a fear of the dark presence that had made itself known to him. _It's part of me… but whoever it is… I don't want it to hurt anybody…_

Atticus looked back at Jaden and nodded. "Yeah... It's kind of like that. Except not just in mirrors... Whenever I was alone, really. I think it's because of this..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar looking card.

He held up the card with the mask surrounded by darkness and chains. Blair shivered, looking at it, sensing its malevolence. "It's... it's really dangerous," she murmured.

"Blair, he has to fight this... you weren't here when Jaden fought Nightshroud the last time," Chazz explained, face even paler than usual. "He has to stop this thing..."

Alexis shivered. "If it's anything like last time... Guys, you know...maybe outside would be a better idea. Nightshroud liked fire..."

"Good idea... but can we stay away from the volcano this time?" Jaden asked. Everyone who had seen or known of the last time nodded.

"Uh... Volcano, Sarge?" Tyson asked, looking around at the other teens. "Syrus? Do you know somethin' about that?"

Syrus grimaced, paling significantly. "It was when Jaden dueled Nightshroud... It wasn't unusual for the Shadow Riders to take hostages, and... Well, Chumley and I were nearly...uh…" He wasn't quite sure how to say it without it sounding strange.

"They were in a death trap in the volcano," Annie explained, shivering. She definitely would've had an attack if she'd been there during the battle. And she could've lost the love of her life without knowing precisely what she'd lost. "Nightshroud trapped him and Chumley in this bubble-thing and if Jaden lost... they'd have been fried..."

"SAM HILL!" Tyson yelped, picking up some blankets. "Soldier... you are a lot tougher than I ever gave you credit for..."

Syrus blushed a little. "I didn't really do anything, though... I mean, we did cheer Jay on, but he saved us..."

"But still... to cheer him on while you're facing meetin' the Great General when it sounds like the Great Demon Commander's gonna punch your ticket... Private, you have a lotta courage... But... I already knew that..."

"Thanks, Tyson... I'm just glad I survived that," Syrus replied as they headed outside. Luckily, the night was only a little bit chilly, since it was nearing summer. The stars could clearly be seen, and there was almost a new moon out. Most of the lawn in front of the dorm was lit by the light coming from the building's windows.

The teachers all stepped out onto the deck as the students stepped to the center road between the three dormitories. "Be safe, all of you," Professor Viper called.

"That's why we're out here, sir!" Axel called back. "We don't want to accidentally burn down the dorm!"

"Let's hope it doesn't come to him using his powers at all... Guys, whatever happens, you have got to stay away from me. The last thing I want is for him to hurt any of you... And I know he won't hesitate to do that," Atticus stated seriously, still gripping the card between his fingers. His brown eyes narrowed with fear.

"Atticus... we will help you if we need to," Annie answered calmly.

"Yeah...Atticus, you've risked stuff to save us," Chazz added. "And bro, you were willing to take a bullet for me."

"Yeah, but... What if he..?" Atticus began, biting his lip worriedly.

"We're prepared, bro. Don't worry about us," Alexis interrupted, sending him a reassuring smile.

"And I have something... glad I remembered it," Jaden added, pulling up something from under his shirt. It was a golden medallion with a bright red jewel at the center. "You gave me the other half, remember, bro?"

Atticus nodded, a little surprised. "Yeah...after I came back and remembered I had it. I gave it to you so that you could protect everyone from the Shadow Riders... I remember you using it against Camula."

"Yeah... I hung onto it... But I probably would've kept it in a drawer... I guess this is a good time to use it again," the brown-haired Slifer said thoughtfully.

"All right. Is...is everyone ready?" Atty asked, looking around the group. His grip tightened slightly on the card, and if they could see auras they would have seen the heavy darkness surging around it.

"We're ready, big bro," Chazz said for all of them. He met his girlfriend's gray eyes. "Mindy, you didn't deal with this thing..."

"Hello! School in danger due to Shadow Riders! Massive evacuation?! I'm standing right with you!" the dark-haired girl countered, meeting her boyfriend's eyes.

And Jasmine met her boyfriend's eyes. "Atty...I'm right here..."

The Obelisk boy nodded, looking down at the card in his hand. Letting out a breath, he lowers his defenses and focuses on the darkness practically making his fingers tingle. In response, the card transformed in a swirl of shadow, becoming the mask in the picture. "I'm not sure what'll happen when I put it on..."

"It's okay, Atticus... we'll deal... I think?" Aster answered, face a little pale.

Atticus sighed, heart pounding in his chest. 'Come on, Atticus... You need to do this... It's either do it yourself, or lose control and put everyone in danger when they least expect it,' he thought, eyes set. Atticus grit his teeth together and slowly moved up, setting the mask over his eyes. Instantly, the sound of crashing wind tore through the night air, and swirling darkness erupted around him. Atticus's fingers tightened on the edges of the mask, pain and an overwhelming presence suffocating his entire being. His hands dropped to grip his upper arms as he bent over, screaming at the pain. His Obelisk coat and long, brown hair billowed out around him, whipped by the shadowy wind.

"ATTICUS!" the group shouted as one. "Bro," Chazz moaned in agony, his dark eyes radiating pain. He could feel his brother's very soul crying out at the violation. And he knew what was coming would be brutal. Alexis couldn't suppress a shiver at that scream, silently wondering if this was a taste of the hell he'd gone through in his time in the shadows.

"Atticus?" Jaden called out. "Are you there?"

As if to answer Jaden, the scream slowly became twisted. It turned from pained to eager, changing to maniacal laughter on the edge of insanity. Straightening, "Atticus" smirked and swung out his arm, causing the shadows to dissipate back into nothingness. "He's here. But not here. Does that answer your question?" The voice sounded like the kind-hearted Obelisk, but it held a condescending undertone and a certain dark quality to it.

"Nightshroud... We're here to confront you... And Atticus is gonna get rid of you," Jaden stated with a calm in his voice that he definitely didn't feel. _What if we can't stop him?_

"Right... Like he did the last time? Now that I'm finally in control again, I'm not dropping it anytime soon," Nightshroud countered, grinning deviously.

"Nightshroud... we need to ask you a few questions, and we expect answers," Chazz stated, his eyes narrowing, "before you leave my brother forever..." The raven-haired Rhodes boy was scared, but he would do whatever he could to save the brother that had first shown him what unconditional love was.

"Oooh, big talk, kid. But fine. I'll humor you for a while. What exactly did you want to ask me?" Nightshroud replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Where did you come from and why did you take Atticus from us?" Jaden asked.

Nightshroud laughed. "Where did I come from? That's an easy one. The World of Darkness. And I didn't take Atticus from you. Humans can be so simple-minded..."

"Then why did he disappear for two years? What did you do with him?" Jaden asked angrily.

Nightshroud smirked. "Nothing. For your information, I saved him. Where was he those two years? Most of the time he was trapped in the Shadow Realm. And who gave him the power to be freed from his pain? Me."

"Then... how did you come to this world?" Annie asked, eyes narrowing as she gripped the bottle of holy water concealed in her skirt pocket. This creature that possessed Atticus reminded her of what she'd learned from Father Mulcahey, her parents, and her religious courses. Nightshroud was a demon, and Annie would do what she could to stop it.

"Well that's also an easy one. Yusuke summoned me. It's too bad Atticus messed up the ritual. But then, I think he's a far easier host to deal with," Nightshroud explained.

"Yusuke?!" she asked, a bit surprised.

And then Honest appeared before the group. "He made me leave him... Yusuke pushed me away so I wouldn't be harmed... And he tried to summon you, Dark One..."

"Tried and succeeded, you mean. I just happened to end up possessing a different body. Of course none of you would know this, though. Atticus's weak human mind locked the memory away to rid himself of the pain. How sad..." It was pretty obvious that Nightshroud wasn't the least bit pitying of his host.

"He's not weak!" Chazz shouted. "He held you off so you wouldn't hurt us! And he stopped you from hurting Alexis!"

"You want to repeat that, shorty?" Nightshroud growled, summoning a shadowy fireball. "I would have taken over in time. In fact, I could tell he was close to breaking. But thanks to you, I was able to take over a lot sooner."

"He's not weak!" Chazz said again. "My brother fought you off and you know it... He made sure you wouldn't hurt us... And back at that duel with Jaden... Alexis offered her own soul to free the rest of us... and you hesitated... He remembered her, didn't he?" The raven-haired teen knew somehow that this was true. "And then he kept you from saying yes, giving Jaden time to get up..."

"That was before! This time I'm stronger... The power of Darkness has been slowly growing over the past weeks...and that includes my powers." Nightshroud was obviously annoyed, and he tossed the fireball he'd been holding at Chazz. "I've had about enough of your questions..."

"CHAZZ!" Alexis yelped, worried she could lose them both.

"I'm not done... ARRRRGHHH!!!" Chazz screamed as the fireball hit. "Mindy, stay back!" he shouted as she prepared to run.

She stopped in her tracks. "Chazz..." She had to believe in him.

"Bro... I know you're in there," he called to his brother. "You have to fight him..." Chazz managed to stay on his feet, and took a step forward, heedless of the danger. His red blazer now was burned through to his black t-shirt.

"ATTICUS, FIGHT HIM! YOU DON'T WANT HIM TO HURT CHAZZ!" Alexis screamed, hating to see her older brother like this and fearing that her younger brother would be hurt as well. She, too, wanted to race to Chazz, but she could feel Jaden holding her arm to prevent her. He knew this twisted person in front of them was not truly Atticus, and that said person wouldn't hesitate to harm Alexis.

Flames gathered around Nightshroud's hand once more, as he prepared to launch another fireball. "You want to be turned into a crispy critter?? Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you, brat!" He formed another fireball, but just as he was about to throw it, it was as if an invisible force moved his arm. The dangerous ball hit the grass mere inches in front of Chazz.

"Bro! Keep fighting him!" the younger boy shouted.

"Atticus! Hang in there!" Jaden added, keeping his grip on his fiancée. Each of the group yelled his or her own brand of encouragement.

"I love you, Atty, fight!" Jasmine called out above most of them.

Nightshroud grit his teeth together, focusing on himself now. "Go back to the depths of your soul, host... You won't lose me this time," he growled. The dark aura around Nightshroud rose up, nearly becoming visible to the naked eye as he worked to suppress Atticus.

Annie tensed, getting the bottle of holy water into her hand. "Sy, be ready... I'm going to have to work fast..." She took a deep breath. "I have to hit him fast and he might get off a shot..."

Syrus took her hand, squeezing it a little. "Just be careful, Annie," he murmured.

Nightshroud, meanwhile, seemed to have come to a realization. "Fine. It's because of them, isn't it? Let's get rid of the problem... RED-EYES DARKNESS DRAGON!! Use my powers over Darkness to come alive!" The darkness finally surged visibly around Nightshroud, and the outline of a large dragon slowly edged into view.

And before Annie could move forward, Chazz tore past her and hugged his brother. "Bro! Fight him!" he called out, tears coming to his eyes and down his face. "I won't let the Darkness take you... not again... Let me help!"

Nightshroud stumbled, concentration breaking so that the summoning was cancelled. The dragon's outline disappeared, but the surge of Darkness remained. "Why you little....LET GO!" Nightshroud roared, hands gripping Chazz's shoulders like fiery claws as he pushed.

Meanwhile, deep within Nightshroud, Atticus's spirit tensed. "No...Leave him alone," he muttered, rising up.

In the physical world, Chazz gritted his teeth. "No... Big brother... fight him... I'm staying..." He could feel the burning claws on his shoulders, but he would stay as long as humanly possible to help the young man that had made him realize he was a worthwhile human being and lovable too.

"I said...leave... him...ALONE!" Though Nightshroud's lips had moved, that voice obviously belonged to Atticus. Slowly, shakily, the grip on Chazz's shoulders was lifted. The hands hovered tensely in the air as the mental battle ensued.

"Go back...!" the distorted voice of Nightshroud growled.

"No...I won't...let you hurt anyone," Atticus countered, growing stronger.

"I'm not losing...again!" the dark presence countered.

"Big brother, you're almost free! Get the mask off!" Chazz called, holding onto his brother still. He would not let go until he absolutely had to.

"I'm...trying..."

"He can't!" Nightshroud growled, though his voice was weakening.

"He can!" Alexis called out. "He's fought you and won before! He's stronger than you! And I know what makes him strong! He has us and he loves us! He can stop you!"

"Cut the crap! If he was so strong, he wouldn't have fallen to me! He can't break free, and he won't!" Nightshroud countered, but the gang could hear his strength eroding further.

And then, Atticus's voice came out strong. "Yes... I... can!" Atticus's hands gradually rose, inch by inch, until finally they managed to grab hold of the mask. "Ch...Chazz...go... NOW."

Chazz looked up at his brother and saw the genuine fear in the brown eyes, and he moved next to Jaden and his sister. He took Alexis's hand, shivering from the injuries he'd received. "He'll be... okay..."

Alexis gripped the hand, her free one holding Jaden's. "I hope you're right..."

Chazz had backed off just in time. For the second Atticus gave the first tiny pull on the mask, shadowy flames and wind erupted around him once more. But this time, it was harming him as well as any who ventured too close. The wind cut through what flames didn't burn, and Atticus cried out in pain as he pulled on the mask. "I'll burn you alive first!" Nightshroud screamed.

"I'm tired...of you...controlling me! STOP...HURTING...THE PEOPLE...I LOVE!!" Atticus shouted back through the fiery maelstrom.

"YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!!" the demon shrieked.

"AAAGGGHHH!!!" The last cry of pain, torment, and aggravation could have been both beings at once. The flames roared up as the mask finally loosened its grip, slowly pulling away.

"ATTICUS!"

"Lieutenant Atticus!"

"ATTY!" several voices shouted at once. Jaden tensed, ready to move forward to put the charm around Atticus's neck, while Annie readied the holy water.

"Agh...get out of...my...HEAD!! ARGH!!!" Atticus finally yanked off the dreaded mask, tossing it with a loud clink to the ground. The fire and wind stopped instantly, though a light shadowy wind remained blowing around the mask. Atticus, exhausted physically and mentally, stumbled where he stood. Eyes rolling back into his head, he collapsed in a burned heap on the ground.

Jaden ran forward and placed the Shadow Charm around his brother-in-law's neck. Annie ran to the mask, flipping open the bottle of holy water. _Help me, Lord; help me defeat this evil! _"Evil being, go back to the depths of Hell from whence you came. I command you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! Be gone from this world, servant of Satan!" she shouted, throwing holy water onto the mask and making the sign of the cross over it and then over herself.

Surprisingly, it seemed to work. The mask gave a low hiss, the wind dissolving into steam. Like water thrown onto a raging fire, it slowly melted away. "Fools... Darkness will still have your souls!! You'll see!! You're not safe!!" Nightshroud called out before the metal finally shattered, the pieces evaporating into thin air.

"We stopped it... it's over... at least this part..." Jaden breathed as Annie ran over to the injured Rhodes brothers. Chazz, without Jaden's additional support, sank weakly to his knees and Alexis had to help him lie down.

Miss Fontaine was already running down from the Ra dorm with Professor Viper and Chancellor Shepherd in tow. "Miss Fontaine, we have a lot of burns here!" Annie said quickly, never taking her eyes off of her patients. Even to her novice eye, the girl could tell the situation was not good for the boys.

"Okay, let's make sure they're stable first!" the nurse called, racing to the boys with her medical bag in hand.

"Yes, ma'am!" Atticus was out cold. Almost every part of his body had first degree burns, while his hands and lower arms had blistering second degree burns. Cuts marked his body here and there, and most of his clothing had been burned away.

Alexis stood over her brothers as Miss Fontaine and Annie started to work on them. "Atty...Chazz... Bro, are you all right?" she asked her conscious brother.

Chazz was shivering as he lay down on the ground as Annie checked him. "Yeah... just... that was scary, sis," he admitted. "But... I think I'm okay..." And then... "OUCH!" he yelped as Annie touched a sensitive spot on his chest.

"Sorry, Chazz. You've got a couple of second-degree burns here," she explained, examining the blistered skin. "Just hold still while I put on some cooling patches. Alexis, Mindy, hold his hands..."

Alexis kneeled beside her younger brother and took his hand. "You're going to be okay, bro... You were so brave for Atticus..."

"He was there for... OUCH!" the injured boy shouted as Annie laid some more cool cloths on his body. "Sorry! That hurts!" he groaned.

"Chazzy... just take it easy," Mindy soothed. "You did so well..."

"I don't think Atty could have done it without you pushing him like you did... You didn't back off when Nightshroud threatened and hurt you," Alexis agreed, smiling down at him.

"No way... not when he was willing to get killed for me..."

And over with Atticus... "Is he gonna be okay?" Jaden asked, eyes wide as Miss Fontaine cut off what remained of the Obelisk's clothing.

"Annie, I need you over here!" And the young girl moved quickly, now that Chazz was cooling off. "I need you to run inside and get a bed ready... He's going to need IV fluid and several hours of rest, not to mention a lot of burn medication. Think you're up to this?"

Annie nodded. "Yes, ma'am, I'll get right on it! Sy, I need a hand!" she called.

Syrus went to her side. "What do you need, Annie?"

"I need you to help me with a room for Atty. I'll need to change some sheets..."

"All right, Annie!" The couple ran inside the dorm to get a room ready, as Alexis turned to look worriedly at her older brother.

"Atty... Miss Fontaine, will he really be okay?"

"Yeah... it's a lot of second degree burns but since we're getting right on it, he should be all right. Thelonius! Andrew!" The teachers moved forward and got Atticus onto the stretcher. And then Dr. Crowler and Professor Sartyr did the same for Chazz. "Okay... Let's the get the boys inside," the nurse commanded. The teachers didn't hesitate, and in minutes they were inside the Ra dorm and on their way to the room Annie and Syrus were preparing. Atticus hadn't moved an inch since he passed out, and he didn't move now, either.

They got to Bastion's room and laid Atticus down on the big bed. Chazz was placed on a rollaway bed in the room so the nurse had an easier time caring for them both. Miss Fontaine rolled in an IV tree with a bag of fluid and quickly got the IV into the big boy's arm. And then she and Annie got cold-water compresses on the burned areas again. "We'll let him cool and then we'll bandage him," Fonda sighed. "But he's going to be all right."

Alexis sighed in relief. "Thank goodness... I was so worried when he was pulling off the mask... I thought..." She frowned, heart skipping a beat at the terrible thought.

"Babe, it's okay," Jaden soothed her, keeping his arm around her. "He'll be all right…"

Miss Fontaine began injecting antibiotics and pain medication into the IV as well. "There now... he'll relax..."

Syrus sighed. "That could have been really bad... It wasn't good, but at least Nightshroud didn't hurt anyone else..."

"Yeah... I was right... he was a demon," Annie said through a sigh. "They hurt their hosts..."

"But wait... He said he came from the World of Darkness, right?" Jesse piped up, something occurring to him.

Jaden met his twin's eyes in sudden horror. "Yeah, he did... then... We've been facing Darkness in some form this whole time..."

"Well then, mates... Somethin' tells me this right here is gonna be the main event. Jaden, I think this is going to be your toughest duel yet," Jim stated, tilting his hat up a bit. It made sense. The true enemy was finally rearing its ugly head.

"And... I have to fight myself before I fight Darkness," Jaden realized, beginning to shiver.

Alexis took his hand, squeezing it. "Jaden, we've come this far... We'll all be here to help you through it when you do... And you'll overcome this."

"Okay, babe... We can't wait, can we?" he wondered.

"Not much longer," Axel answered. "Darkness'll make its move sooner rather than later..."

"Especially since now we know how to fight it... It'll try getting us before we can get over our fears," Syrus added, frowning.

"Well, then... we aren't gonna give it ammunition," Adrian stated, clenching his fists. He knew he had to go soon, but Jaden had to go next.

"And that means... I go next," Jaden answered. "I have to..."

"But we can wait until at least tomorrow, right? Atticus and Chazz aren't the only ones who need rest... We're all exhausted," Alexis stated, looking around the room. It had been a rough night for everyone.

Jaden would've protested, but then he remembered a Star Trek episode with the space zombies he was afraid of that Annie and Bastion had made him see. "We can't be ready to fight the Darkness at the same time we're fighting our own fatigue..."

"It couldn't hurt to get some rest for a few hours. I mean, only you and Adrian are left, right? The chances of Darkness makin' a move on either of you in that time is pretty low," Jesse said reassuringly.

"They'll want Jaden at his strongest," Chazz stated from his bed. "The only time a bad guy struck when getting Jaden at his weakest could've happened was Camula... and she went after Jay when he was stronger..."

"It might be low to attack now, but Darkness might do it... Then again... with our track record, Darkness will wait because it's no fun to take down an opponent that's an easy kill," Tyson muttered.

"Ah...could you not use that word, Tyson?" Syrus asked, sweat-dropping.

"What, kill?" the big Ra asked.

"Yeah, that's the one," Annie answered, also sweat-dropping. "Considering what almost just happened, let's avoid it..."

"Uh... Good point," Tyson sweat-dropped.

Alexis sighed. "At least we know that if you're taken, it's definitely not killing. So everyone that's been taken so far should still be okay... Well, as okay as you can be after being wherever they are for a week or less..."

"But longer than that," Tyson murmured softly, "longer than that... you could be seriously messed up..." He couldn't help thinking of Rosa and how long she'd been gone... 'Spanish Rose, please be okay... Great General, please protect her,' he thought/prayed.

They all knew that he was thinking about her when he'd said that. Jim put a hand on the younger teen's shoulder. "She'll be all right, mate. That Sheila of yours is a tough one..."

Tyson nodded, but did not speak. "We're not going to leave this dorm now," Annie said. "Let's all get comfortable and take naps if we can. And in a couple of hours... Jaden, you'll have to be ready."

"I know," he answered, his eyes tense. "If I don't get this taken care of, Darkness can use it... And I'm gonna stay in here with Alexis... Okay, babe?" he asked her.

Alexis smiled a little. "Okay, Jay. Thanks, honey..."

Miss Fontaine, meanwhile, looked the would-be medical student over. "Annie, go take a nap. You've been up all night with the rest of the group and everyone else is taking a nap. I know you probably want to stay up, but I need you to take a rest. I may need you fresh later..."

"But, Miss Fontaine..."

"Sy, make sure she goes with you..."

Syrus nodded, taking Annie's hand. "Come on, Annie. They'll be okay... Miss Fontaine can take care of them while you rest. All right?"

Annie sighed, knowing she couldn't win the argument to stay at this point. And so she went with her fiancé to his old room in Ra. "You stayed in here?" she asked curiously. "I know you spent a lot of time with Jay, but... you slept here sometimes?"

"Yeah... I kind of switched back and forth between sleeping here and at Slifer when Jaden was missing last year... And sometimes I'd sleep here when I felt like it, when Jaden was still here."

"I like it," she smiled as she headed to the airy closet to get her bra off. 'If I'm going to sleep for a couple of hours, this comes off,' she thought, hating the uncomfortable, albeit pretty flesh-toned underwire she wore. She hung it up on a coat hook in the closet, straightened her top and headed out of the closet.

Syrus had slipped off his shoes and blazer, turning to face Annie as she left the closet. He instantly blushed; without her bra, Annie's...chest, stuck out quite a bit. "U-Uh...Annie?"

"What is it, hon?" she asked, not realizing anything was amiss as she headed over to the bed and pulled off her boots.

"You're, um... I m-mean, your shirt...it..." His face reddened as he stumbled with his words, unsure of how to say it.

Realization hit her like a bucket of cold water. "Oh... honey, I can't sleep comfortably with that on... the wire part cuts in..." She was now blushing too.

He coughed. "I-It's okay, Annie... I mean, you don't wear one with your nightgowns, so..." His blush remained prominent. 'But it sticks out so much more with a normal shirt!' he thought.

"You're not used to seeing... me... this way," she stuttered, feeling the way she had the first time he'd seen her in the all-together. 'At least I'm not going to faint,' she thought.

"N-No...I'm not... But, I mean, it's not like you're... Well, you're still wearing clothes, so..." He bit his lip; why was this so hard?!

"Don't worry, hon... Please don't... It's something n-new," she stammered, face scarlet. Yes, they'd become a lot bolder in the past year and were supposed to be married in a couple of weeks, but there were still moments when things brought up their mutual natural shyness.

"Yeah... Just something new... Let's get some sleep," he muttered, sitting on the bed. 'She's wearing a nightshirt, that's all. Just a nightshirt,' he told himself, over and over.

She sat down with him, still blushing furiously. "S-sorry... I didn't even think," she smiled sheepishly.

He returned the smile. "It's okay, Annie... It was an accident..."

"Okay... well, l-let's get some sleep," she said, lying down with him. "J-Jaden's gonna need us to be okay... What he's facing... it'll be rough..."

"Yeah... I hope it doesn't get as dangerous as what happened with Nightshroud..."

"Me too," she murmured, cuddled against his chest. "No fire..."

"Or anything else that can hurt anyone," he muttered back, putting his arms around her.

Annie drifted off quickly, listening to her love's heartbeat. "Mmmm..."

Syrus, however, stayed up for about ten minutes after his fiancée slept. He stared up at the blurry ceiling, glasses sitting on the bedside table. 'Jaden... We don't know what we're dealing with... We knew Nightshroud, but we don't know anything about this Supreme King thing... I hope everything goes all right later,' he thought, frowning.

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Back in Bastion's room, Fonda Fontaine kept watch on Atticus and Chazz. "Ouch!" Chazz groaned as she moved the towels on his burns.

"Take it easy, and I'll get you bandaged up, Chazz. Think you can sit up?" she asked.

"Y-yeah... ow," he groaned.

"It shouldn't hurt as much later on, bro. Try to think of something else," Alexis soothed.

"Sis...this is...not as bad as Atticus," Chazz groaned, clenching his teeth and looking over his brother's still form.

Alexis sighed. "I know... But you need to worry about yourself right now, okay? We can both help Atticus when he's awake..."

"You told me to think of something else... and I can't think of the Happy Song!" he complained.

"OH! I am very special 'cause there's only one of me!" Jaden began, singing happily.

Alexis tensed, groaning and burying her face in her hands. "Not this...ANYTHING but this...." she muttered. The first time Atticus had learned this song was when he was eight. And he had sung it, and then kept on singing it. He only shut up when he went to bed. And when he woke up the next day? MORE SINGING!

"SLACKER SHUT UP!" Chazz shouted.

Jaden looked wounded. "You said you forgot the song..."

"It's annoying! It takes my mind off this annoying pain!"

"Thank God Atticus is still sleeping... You two have _**no**_ idea what I've been through with that song," Alexis stated, interrupting them and obviously horrified by the memory.

The two young men looked at each other. "He sang it all the time, didn't he?" Jaden asked. "And... did he sing it unedited?" There were some words in said song that would make some parents look askance and discipline their children for using such language.

Alexis sweat-dropped. "The first time he did. But when Mom heard him...she literally washed his mouth out with soap. After that he sang it over and over for days when he changed the words."

"Did... he ever sing it at school?" Chazz wondered.

"No... luckily, he got hooked on it during summer break. By the time school started again, he was over it," Alexis answered, sighing.

Fortunately, Miss Fontaine had taken advantage of the raven-haired teen's distraction and gotten him cleaned up and bandaged while he'd been talking to his sister-in-law and brother. "There we are, Chazz, all done."

"That was fast. Thanks, Miss Fontaine," he said as he lay back down.

"We'll cheer you up, boss!" Ojama Yellow said as he appeared with his brothers, Ojama Black and Ojama Green.

All three little creatures took a deep breath and started singing, "OH! I am very special..."

"SHUT UP!!"

"But boss...!" Ojama Black whined alongside his brothers.

"We're just tryin' to make ya happier!" continued Ojama Green.

"Don't sing THAT song!" Chazz groaned. "Sing... something from Disney!"

"It's a small world..."

"Not that one!"

And then the Ojama trio looked at each other and from out of nowhere, Ojama Yellow put on a carroty red wig that looked like Joey Wheeler's hair. And then, they sang, "Never gonna give you up! Never gonna let you down..."

Burstinatrix appeared in a surge of flames, glaring at the tiny spirits. "Don't even THINK about it!!"

Avian appeared in the room, laughing. "Honey... it could be worse..."

"How?" she asked, turning expectantly towards her husband.

He whispered, "They could be singing that song by the purple dinosaur... Remember when Jaden sang that for a month?"

She froze, eyes wide. "Oh...you're right there, honey..."

And so the Ojamas kept the teens company singing the work of Rick Astley. "This song isn't so bad," Jaden said softly, resting against Alexis. She didn't respond, already drifting off. Though the reason she hadn't responded was because she had cleverly slipped in a pair of earplugs. Jaden smiled, letting her rest. "Go ahead and sleep, babe..." And then he was drifting off as Chazz did. The duel spirits disappeared and Miss Fontaine was alone with her patients.

_So Nightshroud is out of Atticus's head finally. However, it seems that no one's going to get rid of Rick-rolling anytime soon. Even the Ojama brothers are in on it. Anyway, next time… Jaden will confront his dark side in a final showdown. So stay tuned for "Piercing Darkness Part IV…" Until next time, please read and review! Thank you!_


	30. Piercing Darkness Part IV

Chapter XXX: Piercing Darkness Part IV

_Hello again, GX fans and fans of this particular Yugi-verse. Welcome back, and thank you to everyone who's tuned into the RESPECT forum. If you want to come in there to hang out and have fun, do so. We're glad to have everybody from every fandom. Anyway, enough of the shameless plugging! Onto the newest chapter, and it's going to get crazy._

_Last time on "Darkness Falls," Atticus Rhodes confronted his in-mind nemesis, Nightshroud, in order to triumph over his inner darkness. However, Nightshroud would not leave his host without a fight. Even as most of the group lent support and Annie performed an exorcism, it was Chazz that gave his brother strength to fight and win against the evil one. Both Rhodes brothers were injured in the confrontation, but the portion of Nightshroud concealed within him was destroyed. And then the group took a quick rest before Jaden would confront the Supreme King Haou. So what will occur when they confront Haou? Read on._

_**Disclaimer: Uh… trust us… We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise.**_

_Authors' notes: We are continuing to refer to Jaden's dark side as Haou. It's perhaps become a fan tradition to use it as a name and we are doing so. Further, we are treating Jaden's dark side as something he truly fears. We have taken some liberty with the dark one's powers as well as expanded the power of Jim's Eye of Orichalcum. There is some magic and spiritual elements in this chapter. Thank you for your attention._

And so a half-hour passed. Jaden, who had dozed off on Alexis's shoulder, started to wake up at about 9:45 when he became aware of a soft murmuring next to him. 'Huh? Alexis?' he thought, groggily listening in.

"Jaden....told you.....ate too much," Alexis muttered, fist clenching slightly as if she had just punched her dream fiancé on the head.

"I ate too much?" he asked, awake now.

"Kids.....don't.....your dad's a black hole," she continued.

Jaden turned white and his eyes bugged. Had it been possible, he would've gone white from head to foot. "Kids?! Alexis, wake up!"

But Alexis was still wearing her earplugs, so she didn't even hear him. "Jaden... careful... not so high..."

He looked at her and noticed the earplugs. He gently removed them. "Babe... babe, wake up..."

She muttered something inaudible and groaned, opening her eyes halfway. "Jay..? What...what is it?" she asked through a yawn.

"We've gotta get up now... It's... almost time," he stated seriously. And then he looked curiously at his wife to be. "Were you dreaming about our kids?" There was a slight smile on his face as he asked.

She blinked, then blushed and sat up. "I...I think so," she admitted.

Jaden blushed slightly too. "I'll bet they were beautiful like their mom..."

"I can't remember exactly, but... They looked a lot like you..."

Jaden grinned sheepishly. "Well... we'll find out... won't we?"

And then... "Sis... Slacker... Do not make me sicker than I am..." Chazz sat up slightly from his bed, looking a little green. "I'm glad you're in love and planning your future, but don't get all lovey-dovey... It's like when Mom and Dad get that way!"

Alexis frowned, glaring lightly at her brother. "Chazz, you're lucky you're injured right now. Jaden and I are not like Mom and Dad!"

"Well, the minute he starts calling you something like Scouty Muffin, I am going to vomit!" her raven-haired brother countered, groaning.

Alexis groaned. "Chazz, Jaden will never call me such a weird pet name..."

Jaden looked a little sick himself. "The only thing Dad calls Mom is Sugar Jay... and that's it... No way would I call you something like... Scouty Muffin?!"

"I don't know why he calls her that, or how it started. All I know is, I will never call you something that silly either, Jaden," Alexis answered seriously.

"Well..." Jaden went very pale.

"Slacker?" Chazz asked, managing to push himself up, concerned for his future brother-in-law.

"Jaden?" Alexis asked as well, looking at him worriedly.

"I... don't know if I can do this," the brown-haired Slifer said, clenching his fists and unclenching them.

Alexis moved, taking his hand and meeting his eyes. "Jaden, I know it's going to be hard... Harder than anything else you've done... But you need to confront him, or he'll never leave... And you won't be safe..."

"I don't want him to hurt anybody..."

Chazz took a breath. "Slack... Jaden, look... you have to take the risk and fight him off. Atticus almost got killed taking on Nightshroud. You have to fight the Supreme King. At least you haven't had to be him... And we aren't gonna let you fall to him... Just go and fight him..."

"Chazz is right, Jaden. Just like with Nightshroud...we'll be careful and prepared. Okay? Besides...maybe he won't have the same power as Nightshroud. He hasn't been able to come near taking you over," Alexis reminded her love reassuringly.

Jaden nodded, shivering slightly. "Stay with me, Lex..." And the couple stood.

Chazz wasn't allowed out of bed yet. "I'll be here when you get back," he groaned, lying back down.

"Bro, keep an eye on Atticus for us, okay? If he wakes up," Alexis said as they headed towards the door.

"I'll be right here," Chazz answered, and then Jaden and Alexis were heading down the hall.

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At the same time, Adrian stood at the front door of the dorm, looking for a familiar lithe yet formidable figure to come walking up the path from the docks. He didn't have to wait long. Soon, Echo's uniformed silhouette could be seen coming down the path. She had stuck to full uniform, hat and all, and held the look of someone you didn't want to mess with.

He headed out the door to greet her. "Hey, Echo!" he called out.

She smiled just a bit, waving slightly. "Hey, Adrian. You were waiting for me?" she asked when she was within earshot.

"Yeah... Thanks for coming," he said gratefully, closing the distance between them. "This is going to get very rough..."

She stood with perfect posture, hands clasped behind her back. "Well, I'm used to rough. So that shouldn't be a problem."

Adrian took note of her posture. "Echo... please drop the captain thing... I need more relaxed Echo..."

She frowned, allowing her arms to fall by her sides. But she still stood straight and tall. "I am relaxed Echo."

Adrian sighed, knowing she might not get it. "Okay... I need you to just be my friend here like you always have been..."

Echo nodded, smirking and clapping Adrian on the shoulder. "Don't worry. I will be..."

"Thanks, Echo... now we just have to be there for Jaden..." And so they headed back into Ra. "Hey, guys," he called.

"Hello," Echo added, giving a short wave. She had gone into what Adrian referred to secretly as "captain mode," where she was very cool and aloof.

Jesse blinked a few times. "Adrian...she's the friend you mentioned??" he asked in surprise.

Tyson and Axel stood up and saluted, noting the fact silently that she was in a civilian naval form. "Captain, right?" Axel asked politely, to be sure of rank. When she nodded, he continued, "Axel Brody..." And he shook her hand.

And then Tyson moved forward. "Captain Gecko, I'm Tyson Hassleberry, pleased to meet you. Adrian's told us a lot about you..."

Echo held out her hand, smiling warmly for her. "Well, he's told me a lot about all of you as well. Tyson, Axel, your families are more into the army part of military, right?"

"Yeah... My daddy's a general," Tyson grinned.

"My dad was a general too," Axel added, seriously. "And you're a civilian captain of a submarine..."

Echo nodded. "I captain a submarine owned by Gecko Industries."

"That's mighty impressive," Tyson stated. "I mean... you're eighteen, like us..."

Echo hesitated. "My...father put me through specialized training while I was still in high school. He's friends with one of the CEOs and managed to get me the job," she lied.

Adrian caught the lie, but at this point didn't call her on it. "Echo's incredibly smart. And she's got real aptitude for command. It's amazing to watch her keep guys three times her age in check!"

Echo smirked. "Don't think I have problems keeping any boy in line. And that includes Adrian. I've always made sure that he doesn't get into any trouble..."

He smirked right back at her. "Yeah, right... I don't recall you stopping me when I had that party when... Mom and Dad were out of town..." Annie caught the hesitation in Adrian's voice. Her eyebrow raised, but she made no other reaction.

Echo, too, caught it. But she knew it was best to ignore it and keep the conversation rolling. "Of course I didn't stop you. You didn't tell me until I came downstairs to find the entire first floor to practically be a rave."

Aster's jaw dropped. "A rave?! How big is your house?!"

"About 65000 square feet," Adrian explained without batting an eyelash.

Annie's jaw dropped. "That big?" In her neighborhood, 10000 square feet was as big as you got.

Echo chuckled, looking over at Adrian. "You mean you didn't tell them about where you lived?"

"Uh..." Adrian flushed slightly. "No... The square footage didn't come up."

"And that's really just the house," Echo added, grinning.

Adrian groaned softly. "They know we have money... I just didn't need to tell them how big the house was," he explained calmly. "I didn't tell them about your sweet 16 either, you know," he teased.

A vein popped out on Echo's forehead, and she placed a hand with a _**very **_strong grip on his shoulder. "Yes, and they don't need to know about that, Adrian," she growled warningly.

Suddenly, Adrian felt himself surrounded by the female population of the group. "If she says no, we say no," Blair said, clenching a small fist. "Got it?" The other girls looked just as menacing in their own ways.

"Got it," he answered, holding up his hands in surrender.

Meanwhile, the guys kept their distance, looking just a little intimidated. Syrus grinned sheepishly. "How can they get so scary so quickly?" he whispered to the other boys.

"Soldier... that's a mystery of the ages," Tyson answered, for a fleeting moment glad that Rosa wasn't there to clobber him.

After more pleasantries were exchanged, Jaden sat down on the couch. "Yubel? How is this going to work?" he asked his duel spirit.

Yubel appeared, arms crossed over her chest. "Jaden, this will be similar to what Atticus did. But instead of putting on a mask to contact your dark side, you'll have to do it on your own through concentration. And then you'll fight him..."

"But...what'll happen to me?" he asked, looking around at the people he cared about most in this world. 'I can't hurt them...'

Yubel sighed, sensing her longtime friend's growing terror. "Like with Atticus, you will probably be taken over. It'll be hard, but you need to fight him off and take control again. If you can do that, he'll disappear for good. Just like Nightshroud...without the holy water, of course."

"Yeah... this is different than Nightshroud... I think," Annie muttered nervously. She gripped Sy's hand, knowing how bad this might be not only for Jaden, but for her beloved as well.

Syrus swallowed down a mixture of nerves and worry, squeezing Annie's hand. He would try to help Jaden as much as he could during all of this. "Nightshroud was an evil being from the World of Darkness. Haou is Jaden's dark side. There is a slight difference, only in the fact that Nightshroud had shadow magic," Yubel explained.

"Am I going to be... submerged?" Jaden wondered.

"Submerged?"

"It means he wonders, Yubel, if his own personality will be buried while this new personality takes his place," Adrian explained.

Yubel frowned. "We won't know until it happens, I'm afraid. But judging by what happened to Atticus...the chances are high..."

The group took up their positions in the room and Jaden took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and started to draw on that dark place in his mind he seldom went. It was the part of his mind that said Yubel shouldn't be treated as a friend, but as a killing machine. And then, his mind opened. "No... I don't want to see this," he moaned, eyes still closed.

"He's seeing what Haou sees now," Yubel explained to the group, able to sense it because of her close connection to both Jaden and Haou.

"Jaden... what are you seeing?" Blair asked softly, hating to see him in such agony.

"I'm... seeing an army... and they're hurting people," he moaned.

"That's the future that was possible... What would have happened had my original plans come to fruition," Yubel continued helpfully.

Jaden shook. "No.... no... I don't want to do this..." And then... "You have to accept my power, Jaden," a voice that was and was not his said. His hand still clasped Alexis's, but the persona that was in control of his body was not entirely Jaden.

Alexis noticed; they all did. It was just like what happened to Atticus, but a lot more subtle. "Jaden...?"

And then his eyes opened. "Not exactly... the name is Haou," he stated. "And now I am in control..." The room temperature dropped two degrees. It was a chilling change. Jaden's visage had gone from kind and fearful to cruel and calculating in the space of a few seconds.

Almost every person in the room shivered, but Alexis kept a tight hold on Jaden's hand. Her eyes were set and she stayed confidently beside the love of her life. "Not for long. Jaden will get that control back."

"I don't think so... I like it here," Haou countered softly.

"You won't be here for long," Annie stated calmly.

"Yeah. Come on, Jaden. You can fight him," Syrus added, free hand clenched into a nervous fist.

"C'mon, Sarge," Tyson cheered him on. "You can beat this varmint!"

Haou ignored it. "I can control this world, as I would have had supreme control of the Dark World... nothing would have been out of my control..."

Alexis frowned; Jaden hadn't shown any sign of fighting back yet. She reached over to place her free hand on his shoulder, staring straight into the golden eyes that didn't belong to him. "Jaden... This isn't you. Come on...show him that he's wrong."

"Oh... I'm just his dark side... It's very much him... I'm just the part of him that's more dangerous... And you can rule at my side, one way or another," Haou smirked, looking Alexis up and down in a very lustful, wicked way.

Alexis grimaced in disgust; she'd seen that look far too many times to count. And Jaden had never, would never, look at her in such a way. "First of all, I'll say it again, you're not Jaden. Second, you're not going to be ruling anything. And even if you would, there is no way I'd stay by your side."

"You will, one way or another," he countered, and before she or anyone else could stop him, Haou pulled her to him and forced his lips to hers. He could feel her fight him, but kept the kiss going. Alexis's eyes snapped wide in shock; that's the last thing she expected him to do. The lips felt like Jaden's, but they were too forceful and lustful. There wasn't any love. Pressing her hands against his chest, she pushed, trying to pull out of his grasp and giving a muffled cry of protest. Haou took the advantage of her crying out and forced his tongue into her mouth. 'This is going to be mine,' he thought.

Alexis was about to fight back, meeting Haou's golden eyes in a fierce glare. But the second her hazel orbs looked into his, she felt her resolve crumble. It was as if something was hypnotizing her, clouding her senses and mind so that everything became fuzzy. Alexis's eyelids drooped and her hands slid down his chest, out of their tense grip. It was like she'd been rendered helpless.

Haou could feel her resistance drop. And then... "ALEXIS!" Blair called out. "THAT'S NOT JADEN! FIGHT HIM!"

"Yeah, Alexis! Wake up! Let go of her, you jerk!" Annie added.

Alexis barely heard her friends, but it was enough. She blinked once, twice. Everything becoming crystal clear in a matter of seconds, her eyes widened once more. Brows furrowing, Alexis pulled back one of her arms, swinging it around to catch Haou squarely in the jaw and broke free of the kiss.

Haou felt the blow. "You dare hit me, you impudent..!"

He raised his hand as if to strike her, but Tyson ran forward. "No way are you layin' a hand on her, you... you... varmint!" he shouted. "SARGE, WAKE UP!!"

And then with a strength Jaden didn't possess or didn't use, Haou threw the Texas Ra over his shoulder. "You little bug!"

Jim ran over to Tyson, helping the muscular teen up. "Tyson, mate, are you all right?" he asked. Shirley, meanwhile, growled at Haou and snapped threateningly at him. She wouldn't attack unless she had to, though.

"Y-yeah... he's strong," Tyson groaned, softly. "But... he just knocked the wind outta me," he concluded as Jim helped him up. "Thanks, partner..."

"Oh, how sweet," Haou smirked, his eyes glowing with unholy delight at the others. "The nerd club is together... Too bad I'll have to destroy you..."

Syrus stood, glaring defiantly at Haou. "Jaden won't let you destroy any of us! He's going to stop you." And sensing the threat, Shirley gave a loud growl and snapped her jaws down on Haou's pant leg. With that amount of pressure, he wasn't going anywhere.

"Why you..!" the Supreme King snarled, trying to get free of the crocodile's grip.

"Haou... you aren't welcome here!" Annie called out, moving into position, not sure what she was going to do. "You won't be allowed to hurt anyone else... You are a king without compassion, and a king without compassion does not deserve a kingdom. If you are willing to kill us to control us, you are not a truly good ruler. You have been corrupted by evil..."

"SHUT UP!" Haou shouted, summoning a dark energy orb and throwing it. It hit the girl squarely in the chest, throwing her into the wall. "Did compassion save you, XXXXX!" he mocked. Annie crashed to the ground, crying out only once.

"ANNIE!!" Syrus cried, running to her side.

And with that, something in Jim's head clicked. He didn't think; he just jumped into action, knowing this was it. He threw off his hat and gripped his bandages, tearing them off in a single tug. Jim was in front of Haou in seconds, stance strong as he placed a heavy grip on the shorter boy's shoulders. "If there's anytime for this to work, let it be now," he muttered. Jim gazed into Haou's eyes, and instantly the Orichalcum orb burst into brilliant glowing color. He found himself promptly tossed headfirst into Jaden's soul, both his and Haou's bodies frozen in place in the real world.

And in Jaden's mind... "YOU JERK! HOW COULD YOU HURT MY FRIENDS!" Jaden shouted, grabbing hold of Haou's leather-clad arm.

His brown eyes flashed with fury, which quickly turned to pain as his dark counterpart twisted his arm. "You don't know what pain is," Haou whispered harshly. "You haven't lived through it... and I've had centuries to think about human suffering..." Haou continued, "Your friends will only let you down. You can't have true power with them... You can't duel at full strength... "

"No... That's not true!" Jaden shouted, pulling free of his grip. "My friends are my strength... And they're helping me fight you!"

Jim listened to this conversation as he worked to orient himself, only there in spirit. But both Jaden and Haou were spirits here too, meaning he could interact with them. "Jaden's right, you cowardly blighter," he stated as he walked over to them. "I may be the only one able to do this, but everyone out there is fighting you to get Jaden back!"

Jaden met Haou's golden eyes. "That's right... You had friends once... When I was you... I know that... Yubel was my friend... She gave up her humanity to protect us!"

"A pathetic sacrifice... and it only made her weak in the end... Going on about her precious Jaden while all the while he had moved onto a new bunch of friends!"

"NO!" Jaden shouted. "I sent her up to help her! And she did come back! And she ended up okay because she found out she had friends! You're the one who won't let people be your friends! And I'm not going to let you be part of me anymore!" Jim could tell Jaden was gaining ground and winning against his dark half. So he stood to the side, waiting to help if it was needed. He already knew one thing he would have to do here.

Haou's dark power shifted around him and he sent a gust at his counterpart. But Jaden summoned his own spiritual energy, something that seemed a blend between light and shadow, shielding him and Jim from the blow. And then he sent the dark attack back at Haou. "ARGGH!!" the dark one shouted in pain as he hit the ground on his bottom.

"You're done," Jaden growled, shivering with the power that had come from him. Haou dissolved into a column of dark light and disappeared.

Jim stepped up to stand beside Jaden now, nodding. "He is, Jaden. You defeated him... I'm here to help you back to your senses, mate."

Jaden nodded. "Thanks, Jim... help me... I can't do it alone..."

"Just hang on, not sure how this is gonna feel," Jim replied as he placed his hand on Jaden's shoulder. The Orichalcum eye glowed once more, surrounding them both with a bright red light. And then, they felt themselves lifted up and out of the depths of Jaden's soul.

Jaden felt himself coming back to his body, and he was aware of a pair of warm, feminine arms around him as consciousness winked out again. "Lex," he murmured weakly.

Alexis held him, pulling him close as she moved to sit both of them down on the couch. "It's okay, Jaden... You're back," she muttered, happy to see the warm brown eyes once more.

Jim stumbled, the feeling of being thrust back into his own body thoroughly disorienting him. "You okay, Jim?" Axel asked, getting an arm around him for support. Shirley had moved close as well, growling softly for her friend.

"Ooh...I think so, mate... Is Annie all right?" Jim asked, leaning on the dark-skinned teen for support. He felt strange for some reason, and felt something small and round gripped in his free hand.

Annie was far from all right. Miss Fontaine was working frantically over her. "This can't be happening... Her heart rate is very irregular. I'm losing her!" The dark energy that the Supreme King had summoned called forth what had nearly taken Annie about a year before. Even in a hospital with the nurse and a team of trained doctors, the dark-haired girl would be dead in a few minutes. She was growing pale, her skin was sweaty and she was clearly fighting for every last breath.

Syrus was near tears, holding Annie's hand tightly, willing her to stay in this world. "Annie...no... This can't be happening...not again..."

Jim stared, and then glanced down at what he was holding. It was the Orichalcum gem. Startled, Jim looked back to Annie, and then got an idea. Pushing shakily off of Axel, he made his way over to the fallen Obelisk girl as quickly as he could in his slight disorientation. "Miss Fontaine...let me try something. I think...I know what to do," he said seriously, gripping the gem tightly.

Fonda moved back, praying in her head that this would work. "Hurry, Jim... I can't stabilize her!"

Jim dropped down beside Annie, taking only a moment to regain his bearings. 'I hope this works,' he thought, pulling in a breath. Jim placed his hand over Annie, pressing the Orichalcum stone into her chest. Slowly, it gave off a gentle glow, seeping into her body like water.

Annie's injured body shivered as the soft red glow permeated her. She went very still, and then her breathing became normal as the glow faded. The nurse moved to check. "Her vital signs are returning to normal... She should be okay..." And then she looked at the Australian teen, eyes narrowing, then widening in shock. "Jim... your eyes..."

Jim blinked. "What? What about my eyes?" he asked worriedly. The Orichalcum stone was gone...was there just an empty socket now?

"You... have two of them," the nurse answered, very stunned. "Two healthy blue eyes..."

"What!?" That was impossible. She had to be hallucinating. There was only... But as Jim reached up to brush his fingers against the usual metal, he was shocked to feel skin instead. Eyes wide, he jumped to his feet and ran over to a nearby mirror. Two bright, blue eyes stared back at him instead of one. No wonder he'd been so disoriented. "I...I have two eyes," he muttered, nearly speechless.

Axel was smiling. "You were rewarded. You found your purpose... And you just saved two friends..."

Jim could only stare, so used to seeing a single eye and bandages for most of his young life. And then, such a strong surge of happiness welled up within him, more than he'd ever felt before. It brought the Australian youth to tears of pure joy, feeling the wetness run down both cheeks for the first time in a decade. He dropped down to his knees, hands sliding down the wall as Shirley went to his side. She'd never seen her master and best friend, as well as protector, so happy.

"Wow," Blair said, eyes wide. "Miracles do happen... Jim... you deserved to get your eyes back."

"If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have believed it possible," Fonda murmured as she headed to check Jaden, now that Annie was safe. "He's got a fever, but I think he'll be okay..."

Jim stood, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "That's good to hear... He defeated Haou, I saw it with my own eye," he explained, picking up his hat and putting it back on.

"Jim...I doubt I can ever thank you enough... You helped him and brought him back," Alexis said, holding back tears herself.

"And you saved Annie's life... There's no way I can ever repay you for something like this," Syrus added, holding Annie's unconscious body in his arms.

"Okay... we need to take a break... Kids, I know you want to finish this, but I have four patients and I need to make sure they're all going to be fine. Echo, I could use a hand and I know you're trained in triage," Miss Fontaine asserted, her eyes showing command.

Echo nodded. "Of course. Just tell me how I can help."

"All right. I'll need you in with my burn victims... the younger one can be very stubborn..."

"I'm used to dealing with stubborn people. Shouldn't be a problem."

"Good," Fonda smiled. She sent Echo to the proper room and then directed the other teens in moving Annie and Jaden. "Alexis, I'm putting Jaden in Tyson's old room and Annie is going in your old room, Syrus... I have to be in with Jaden for a bit. Can you handle Annie?"

"Yeah, I can, Miss Fontaine," the short Obelisk answered.

"Okay, then," the nurse said. And the two new patients were moved into their rooms. "Sy... get her into a sleep shirt. There should be one in that drawer," Miss Fontaine gave the order from around the door. "Just be very gentle with her..."

Syrus nodded. "All right..." He shut the door after the nurse left, going over to the drawer and looking through it. Pulling out a long, sky blue nightshirt which was in every student's drawer for emergencies, he walked over to Annie and carefully got to work. Syrus blushed a bit for most of the time, even if he'd seen Annie without her clothes before. He made sure to be as gentle as possible, and in a few minutes she was changed into the shirt.

And it was then Annie woke up. "Mmmm... Sy?" she asked weakly, her eyes opening. "Honey... where am I?"

Syrus smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking her hand. "You're in my old room at Ra, Annie."

"How did I get here?" she wondered, sounding dazed. "The last thing I remember... Jaden!" she yelped, trying to sit up but failing.

He placed a hand on her stomach, pushing her gently back down. "Shh... Annie, it's okay. Jaden defeated Haou and came back. Miss Fontaine said he has a fever...but he's all right."

"I don't remember after he got mad," she groaned. "Did his dark side.... get me?"

He frowned and nodded. "Yeah... He hit you with some kind of shadow magic... You were having a heart attack from it, and Miss Fontaine couldn't stabilize you… I thought I was going to lose you..."

"How... how did I survive?" she asked. "I remember this warm light... but not what it was..."

He smiled again. "It was Jim, Annie. He used his eye... First he…went into Jaden's mind, I think. He helped him come back to us. And then...Jim used it to help heal you. I'm not sure how it worked, but you're okay now. And Jim has two eyes again!"

She smiled tiredly, lying back against the pillows. "He was God's instrument... And God rewarded him for doing such good things..."

"I guess he did... I'm just glad that you're all right. And that Jaden's okay, too. Haou's gone for good..."

"Yeah... Me, too... Honey... lay down with me," she asked tiredly.

"All right, Annie..." He quickly slid off his shoes and climbed into bed beside her, putting his arm around her. With Syrus at her side, Annie fell into a deep sleep almost immediately. Syrus sighed, closing his eyes. He wasn't sure if he'd fall asleep or not, but it felt nice just to relax.

In Tyson's old bedroom, Miss Fontaine had just helped Alexis with Jaden's nightshirt, also in a light blue. "The fever must be a side effect," she muttered, taking the boy's temperature again.

"But there's nothing else wrong with him, right?" Alexis asked, holding her fiancé's hand.

The nurse shook her head. "No... I don't see anything else. He should be fine... He's very strong..."

Alexis sighed in relief. "That's good... I'm glad it's only a fever..."

"It'll help him recover..."

And then... "No... no, don't hurt her," Jaden moaned weakly, sweat beading his forehead.

Alexis's eyes widened. "Jaden?!"

"Haou... you don't have the right to kiss her that way..." He was reliving the fight.

"It must be the last minutes of the fight when Haou forced you into that kiss," Miss Fontaine theorized.

Alexis frowned, squeezing Jaden's hand. "Jaden...it's okay. I'm safe. It's over now..."

Jaden's eyes opened, the fever brightness in them, as well as some confusion. "A...lex...is?"

Her frown turned into a small smile. "I'm here, Jaden... It was just a nightmare..."

"Lex," he said softly, holding up his arms. "Are you okay?"

She leaned down to hug him, nodding against his shoulder. "I'm fine, Jaden... You should be worrying about yourself..."

"He hurt you," he murmured, shivering with the fever.

"It was just a kiss," she muttered back.

"But he forced you..."

"And I showed him what happens if you do that... Sorry about the punch...it doesn't hurt too badly, does it?"

It was then he became aware of his slightly sore jaw. "No... but even if it did...Lex... I'm sorry I couldn't stop him..."

"It's all right, Jay... You still did great...you fought him off. Jim told us about it..."

"That was a crazy...f-fight..." He started to really shake and Fonda moved close.

"Jaden... lie back down and rest," the nurse insisted firmly.

"Do you want me to lie down with you, Jaden?" Alexis asked, frowning worriedly. The nurse nodded approval at this, if the young man wanted his fiancée near.

"Yeah," he answered, shaking from the cold flash.

So she lay down beside him, keeping her arms around him. "Just rest, Jaden... You did it...and now you're safe..."

His body was radiating heat. "Th-thanks... babe," he murmured as the warmth suddenly returned to his senses, making him sleepy.

"Mmhmm," she murmured, closing her own eyes.

Miss Fontaine smiled and covered the couple with a light blanket. And then she tiptoed down the hall to Bastion's bedroom. "I said I can get up!" Chazz tried, threateningly.

"Miss Fontaine clearly said that you're still on bed rest, young man. And that means you stay in this bed and rest, no ifs, ands, or buts! Do I make myself clear?" Echo countered in a stern tone, sounding much older than she was.

"Yeah, Chazz, you have to listen to her. She's a girl version of Tyson and Axel," Mindy said, "and she already has her own command. So you don't want to mess with her!"

Chazz sighed, knowing that he was decidedly outmatched. "All right..."

Echo smirked. "Thank you, Mindy. I'm glad you can see things my way, Chazz..." And then, a soft groan could barely be heard coming from the other bed.

Jasmine, sitting at her boyfriend's bedside, gripped his hand. "Atty? Atticus, can you hear me?" she asked.

"Big bro?" Chazz added loudly, hoping his brother would hear him.

"Oooh," the older boy groaned again, opening his eyes slightly. "What," Atticus began, but gave a low hiss of pain and ground his teeth together. His hand squeezed Jasmine's in reaction to the pain he felt reverberating off of his entire body.

"It's all right... take it easy," she murmured, pain in her gray eyes from both his grip and seeing him this way. "You were hurt... you have a lot of burns..." She reached her free hand up to brush his singed bangs. "But you stopped Nightshroud..."

"Agh... I... I did?" he managed to ask. His eyes were closed tightly at the pain he felt, but her actions helped to soothe it a little.

"You did... and Chazz is going to be okay..."

"Chazz?!" Atticus got halfway up, and then cried out in pain and dropped back down. Cringing, he groaned and felt the pain travel up and down his torso. That was not the best thing to do.

And the youngest Rhodes, ignoring Echo's orders, got off his rollaway bed and headed straight to his brother's bed, even though it hurt. "Bro... Don't... stay down..."

"Chazz... Bro...you… you're hurt... Because of me," Atticus stammered, voice shaking from the physical and emotional pain he felt. He managed to crack open an eye, looking up at his little brother.

The younger boy moved so he could hold his brother's free hand. "No... I made the choice. I love you, bro and if it meant I had to fight Nightshroud and get hurt... it was worth it..."

"Bro... I love you too... Are you sure...you're okay?"

"Yeah... it was you we were worried about... You got burned really bad..."

"Gee...so that's why...I'm in so much pain," Atticus muttered wryly, managing a small grin. "I didn't hurt...anyone else...did I?"

"No, Atty... you were amazing," Jasmine said, squeezing his hand with pride in him.

Atticus sighed in relief. "Good... How long have I...been out?"

"You've been out for about 5 hours," she answered, tears coming to her eyes.

"Five hours... But...where is everyone?" he asked, eyes closed again as a fresh wave of pain hit.

"Jaden... fought his dark side and won... Everyone's resting now... Annie got hurt..."

"Wait… what?! Jay fought his...dark side... And I wasn't there to help..."

"No... Atticus... he knows you were with him... that we all were there with him," Jasmine soothed.

Atticus sighed, frowning. "Is Annie okay..?"

"Yeah... she had a close call, though. Bro, Haou tried to kill her," Chazz explained.

"How did she survive??" Atty asked, opening his eyes slightly to look back at his brother.

"Mindy and Jazz saw it happen... He used that eye of his... First on Jay, and then on Annie when...she had a heart attack... We don't know what that eye did, but it stabilized Annie and she's resting now with Sy..."

"Wait...eye? You mean it was Jim?"

"Yeah... Atticus... He got his right eye back!" Mindy said excitedly.

Atticus grinned again. "He did? That's great... Can't wait to see that..."

"You'll be amazed," Jasmine agreed. "Now just rest or Echo will make you..."

Atty blinked. "Echo??"

"Yeah... Echo, c'mon over," Chazz called.

The submarine captain walked over to the bed, smiling. "Hello, Atticus. I'm Echo, Adrian's friend," she greeted.

Atticus blinked a few more times. "Okay...am I hallucinating, or...are you in an army uniform?"

"It's a navy uniform! She has her own submarine!" Mindy grinned.

"You're kidding," Atticus managed to say with a smile.

"No, it's true. Though, I don't own it, I just captain it..." Echo explained, sweat-dropping.

"Wow," Atticus muttered in awe.

"So... why are you here?" Chazz asked. "It'd be pretty hard to... wait a sec... Have you been patrolling here or something?"

Echo frowned and glanced away. "Mr. Gecko asked me to keep an eye on his son. Not surprising with all of the disappearances happening here."

Chazz seemed to accept that as he lay down next to his brother. "Is it okay if I stay by you, big bro, now that you're all bandaged up?" he asked.

Atticus smiled. "Sure, bro... Just...uh, don't touch me... No offense, but...that doesn't seem to help..."

"Okay," the smaller teen answered, taking care not to hurt his brother. Mindy and Jasmine had, meanwhile, exchanged glances. Something about how Echo had answered Chazz's question had set off their women's intuition. She was hiding something.

_So Echo is drawing suspicion from the girls now. What is she hiding, and what is Adrian's darkness? Next time, join us for "Piercing Darkness Part V." Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	31. Piercing Darkness Part V

Chapter XXXI: Piercing Darkness Part V

_Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to __**Darkness Falls!**__ We're glad to have you back, even though this story took a dark turn. We're not quite done with the dark part of the story, though there are some laughs too in this part. Anyway, we imagine you'd like to get on with the story. So here's the summary…_

_Last time on __**Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Darkness Falls…**__ Jaden finally confronted the Supreme King Haou with terrifying results. Haou became violent, and Jim intervened. Fortunately, Jaden, with Jim's help, was able to fight off Haou for good. However, this was not before damage was done. An energy ball that Haou threw caused Annie to go into what would have been fatal heart failure. But Jim used the Orichalcum Eye to heal the dying girl and as a reward, he got his right eye back. Also, a friend of Adrian's arrived, Echo. So what will happen next? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: Please see the previous chapters. There's a lot we don't own, and only a few things we do. Thanks!**_

_Authors' notes: This chapter takes liberty with Echo and Adrian's relationship and how it's effectively made legal. It's believed in the fandom that they are in fact adoptive brother and sister, and if this is the case, their relationship is illegal. Therefore, we figured a way to make it legal. We really hope you don't mind._

_Also, we took some liberty with Adrian's past and in Yu-Gi-Oh tradition, continued with the lousy father figure portrayals and adoptive parent portrayals. All Peach can say is that the Ishtar father, Gozaburo Kaiba, the D and Mr. Gecko would have a lot to answer for in the way they treated the boys they adopted. It's criminal… _

_We've also taken liberty with Belowski's abilities here. We've given him the ability to calm people in pain. So enjoy this chapter._

_Warnings: A tasteful nude scene, mentions of illicit drug use and traumatic situations._

It was a few hours before Jaden came around again. "Huh?" he wondered, blinking. He became aware of a presence patting his forehead with a cool washcloth and a familiar pair of hands doing it. "Lex?" he asked softly.

Alexis smiled, placing the cloth back in the bowl of water on the bedside table. "Morning, Jaden. Well...it's more along the lines of afternoon now, but you get the point."

"Let's check your temperature," Miss Fontaine smiled, coming into his field of vision. He felt something be placed in his ear, heard a beep and then felt the something be pulled away. "Back to normal," the nurse concluded, relieved.

"That's great, Miss Fontaine! Your fever's gone, Jay. Do you feel any better?" Alexis asked, taking his hand.

With a little help, the future King of Games managed to sit up in the bed. "Yeah... I feel a lot better," he answered, smiling. "I feel... lighter..."

"That's good to hear, Jaden... I'm glad you're all right. I was a little worried when you had that fever," she admitted.

"Sorry I made you worry, babe," he apologized. And then his stomach rumbled as he pulled her into a hug. "Guess I'm hungry," he grinned sheepishly.

Fonda smiled at that. "Shall I get you kids something?"

"Yeah... I'm pretty hungry too. We didn't exactly get breakfast or lunch," Alexis agreed, nodding.

"Okay," the nurse grinned, making a call to her boyfriend. "Don, I'm going to need some food in here..."

Don chuckled on the other end of the line, already busy with cooking lunch and dinner. "I was waiting for this call. I'll make a late lunch and bring it up for them. What about the others? Have they eaten?"

"The ones who aren't injured will definitely need something and I have a feeling my other patients will need something. Chazz and Atticus will need something that will go easy on their stomachs, say some light soup. I'll see if Annie and Syrus are ready for something."

"All right. I'll make a soup for the Rhodes brothers and some lunch for the other students. Just call me back if Annie and Syrus want something, okay?"

"I will, Don," she answered. They hung up and Miss Fontaine headed down the hall to check on her next set of patients.

Jaden watched after her. "I hope Annie's all right," he said, looking down. He felt responsible for Annie being hurt. "I know she's patched up, but..."

Alexis squeezed his hand. "Jaden, that wasn't your fault. Haou hurt her, and now he won't hurt anyone ever again. You did beat him... It was like with Atty. Nightshroud hurt Chazz...but he still defeated him."

"Yeah..." He hugged her close. "Thanks for standing by me..."

She hugged him back, smiling. "I'm just happy I could help you... I'll always stand by you, Jaden."

Jaden reveled in the good feeling of her hugging him, and the light that was back in his heart. He sensed another presence in the room, and sent, 'Thanks, Yubel. I'm all right...'

Yubel smiled. 'I didn't do anything, Jaden... You can thank your friends and yourself for all the work...' she sent back.

'But you did, by being there... And you're my friend too, remember?' he pointed out.

She closed her eyes, leaning back and laughing a bit. 'Right. I seem to forget that sometimes.'

'Well, don't forget... We've been friends a really long time,' he reminded her. 'And we're always going to be...'

'I know, Jaden... Stay safe, all right? We're not out of this yet,' she sent, using a ghostly hand to ruffle his hair.

'You've got it, Yubel...'

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Down in Sy's old room, Annie was looking at herself in the full-length mirror on the door of his closet. She had taken off her gown and was slowly spinning around in shock at her naked form. "How is this possible?"

"How is what possible, Annie?" Syrus asked as he came back from the bathroom.

"Sy... look at me," she said, eyes wide. She was wearing nothing and he knew every scar on her body. But now...

He blushed, but then his eyes widened. "Annie...what... All of your scars are gone!"

And indeed they were. The scar mark on her upper thigh from her heart surgery was gone, as were her stretch marks along with every other scar she'd had. "Sy... what happened?" she asked in awe.

"I...I don't know. You had them the last time you checked, right?" He was just as confused as she was.

"Yeah... yesterday, I had them... and now... they're gone," she stated again. Her face was pale, but she started to smile.

"But... Nothing happened to you except for..." He stopped, eyes widening again. "Annie...do you think..?"

She brushed her hands against her curvy body as if in a dream. "The Orichalcum must've... It's... Oh, my..."

"It didn't just heal your heart... It healed everything," he muttered in awe, walking over to her.

"It's... I need to sit down," she murmured, still dazed.

He quickly led her over to the bed, and the couple sat down on its edge. "This is amazing, Annie..."

She met his eyes. "That means... I'll bet if anybody checked me out now... I'm okay... for everything..."

"We can ask Miss Fontaine to do that...if you want," he replied, smiling happily for her.

Just then, the door opened. "Annie, I... OH MY!" Miss Fontaine yelped. Well, Annie was naked...

"Miss Fontaine!!" Syrus yelled in surprise, blushing a bright red. He was wearing clothes, but still, this didn't look right. "U-Uh, we, um..."

Annie grabbed her nightshirt and pulled it on. "This isn't what it looks like..." 'Oh, crap, I can't believe I said that!' she thought as Miss Fontaine gained control of her senses, came into the room and shut the door.

"Kids... what happened?" she asked calmly.

Annie took a breath. "I... was looking at myself, Miss Fontaine and Sy came in from the bathroom and saw me... I can't explain, but... I don't have scars anymore..."

Syrus nodded. "It's true, Miss Fontaine. They're all gone. Even the stretch marks..."

Fonda decided to see for herself and examined the girl. "My goodness... I've never seen or read of anything like this... Annie... If we had the facilities to examine you now... I have a feeling your body would show no physical signs of ever having had surgery..."

"It's a miracle," the teen murmured, crossing herself.

Syrus grinned. "We think it was the Orichalcum stone, Miss Fontaine. Instead of just healing her heart, it must have healed her whole body."

"That's the only explanation that makes sense," the nurse smiled. "Well, Annie, that means you may be strong enough to try the pre-med major..."

"That's what I want..."

Syrus kissed Annie on the cheek. "You can go to school to become a doctor... And you don't need to worry about your heart anymore."

She hugged him tightly. "And... I can be a mom..."

He hugged back. "Wait until the guys hear about this..."

"Yeah..." "Now, are you two hungry?" the redheaded nurse asked. Annie's stomach rumbled in response.

Syrus's did the same only seconds after, and he blushed a little. "I think that's a yes." And so Miss Fontaine called Don and placed an order for lunch for the couple. And soon everyone in the dorm was eating up.

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As lunch drew to a close, Adrian called Echo outside. "I need to talk to you..."

Echo nodded and followed him outside. "What is it, Adrian?"

"I'm next," he explained, "and that means I tell everything..."

She frowned. "Adrian..."

He took her hand, eyes burning. "I don't know what's going to happen... but I have to tell the truth... And maybe... that'll be a good thing... no hiding..."

She sighed, looking at him. "Are you sure this is for the best?"

He held her gaze. "Yes... Echo... It's hard... but if we don't face the truth... it'll be much worse... And..." He looked down for a moment. "I want a good world, but I can't make the world better when I'm not being honest with myself."

She glanced away, and then moved to place her hand on his cheek. "Adrian, if you want to do this... Then I'll support you. I'll always be by your side to help you through anything."

He raised his hand up gently to touch hers. "And I'm here for you... no matter what happens."

She smiled slightly, wanting so badly to close the distance between them and kiss those lips. But she held back, pulling away and turning back towards the doors. "Well, then...let's go and get this done."

Adrian nodded. "Yeah... Let's do it..." They headed back into the dorm common room where everyone who was able-bodied now waited. "Hey, guys," Adrian greeted, looking as serious as anyone had ever seen him.

"Adrian, you ready to do this, bud?" Jesse asked his friend.

Adrian nodded and sighed. "This isn't going to be easy... And I know some of you know things about me... But the world doesn't know everything..."

"It's all right, Adrian," Jaden tried. "Whatever it is... it'll be okay..."

"We're here, and we'll support you, whatever it is you have to tell," Alexis added.

"Okay..." The exchange boys looked at each other, and everyone else exchanged glances as well. And so Adrian sat down on the couch, the woman he loved at his side. "You all know that my last name is Gecko... but the truth is... it's in name only. The adoption was never finalized."

"Wait, adoption??" Syrus asked, shocked.

Adrian nodded. "Yeah...I was... supposedly adopted by Gilbert and Rachel Gecko when I was nearly 12 years old. I'd been in the Mojave Desert since I was 6... And I'd eluded authorities all that time. And then Gil found me. He wanted a son since... his wife seemed unable to conceive after they had a daughter..."

Realization hit Annie like a ton of bricks. She had researched about Adrian's family and of course had heard things from her father about the Geckos and now it fell into place. "Echo... are you... their daughter?" she asked softly.

Echo tensed in surprise, and that was really all the answer they needed. But she tried to hide it and look at Annie in confusion. "Why would you ask that?"

"Because I read up on Adrian to find out about him and there was a girl in the family," Annie said simply. Echo frowned and looked over at Adrian, meeting his gaze. She was unsure if she should lie or tell the truth, and was silently asking him for help.

Adrian met her eyes and nodded. 'Tell them,' he urged her with his eyes. 'Please.'

Echo sighed, gaze turning to the ground. "...Yes, I'm their daughter. My full name is Echo Gecko."

"Wow... so... you guys are..." Tyson stuttered. "But you ain't actually..."

"No... As far as the world knows, we're legally siblings, but the adoption wasn't finalized," Adrian explained. "And there's a reason for that... About three months or so after I came to the mansion, Rachel found out she was pregnant... Gilbert didn't care to finalize after that." The bitterness in his voice was clear.

Echo frowned, placing her hand over his. "Father never really cared for anything but his own ambitions... He did much the same thing with me that he did with Adrian. I wasn't a boy, so I couldn't be an heir to his company." Her frown deepened as she spoke.

Annie's eyes flashed. She stood up. "Excuse me, please," she said tightly, walked out of the room. "Sorry," she apologized in advance to the teachers sitting in their observation room, and then headed down to Bastion's room. She shut the door, and proceeded to use language that promptly shocked everyone in the two rooms.

"Annie... said... swears," Jaden said, going white with shock.

"Sam Hill... I ain't ever heard her say that!" Tyson gasped.

"Is she related to merchant marines?" Axel asked, visibly stunned.

Syrus sat with wide eyes, unsure whether to go after her or not. He'd never heard Annie say half as many curses at once. Echo blinked. "That's nearly as bad as some of the sailors I've worked with..."

The teachers were in shock. "Oh... my... Do we put her in detention for that?" Bonaparte asked.

"For once, mon ami, no," Vellian answered, sitting in shock.

Don sweat-dropped. "At least she left the room..."

Annie then came out of the room. The group heard her talking to someone on her mobile phone. "... Yes, Father... Of course, Father... Thank you, Father Mulcahey... Bye, now..." She entered the main room, looking red in the face, but calmer.

"Annie? Are you okay?" Syrus asked, standing up from his seat.

"Yeah, hon... I had to make confession about that. I actually have Father Mulcahey on my contacts list," she admitted. "But he said I reacted in a very human manner. Adrian... he took you in for the wrong reasons... and that just... made me so mad!"

"Annie... I did get a good life, though," the spiky-haired redhead said calmly.

Echo nodded. "We both did. We got the same benefits of living under their roof as my brother... We were just more in the shadows."

"But... I can't imagine that," Annie stated softly. "The people who are supposed to love you most... treating you like you didn't matter... That's... I can't begin to say how painful that seems..."

"Annie's right. Family is family. You're supposed to love and care about each other, no matter what. He had no right to do that," Jesse added, having grown-up in a close-knit Southern family.

"The worst part of knowing the baby was coming was just after the ultrasound," Adrian said. "That day, he said, 'this child will be my heir and one true son.'" He closed his eyes, fighting the pain of the memory.

Echo looked just as pained, remembering that day quite well. She squeezed his hand, yet again feeling the anger boil up within herself. That man may have been her father, but part of her wished she could teach him a lesson. She knew none of this was her little brother's fault; he actually cared about and loved them. So did their mother.

Adrian took a deep breath, hating himself for what he was about to admit. "Then Sid came. And I got really jealous... I actually contemplated getting rid of him somehow..."

"But then he got sick...really sick. Father flew in the best doctors from all over the world. But none of them could figure out what was wrong or how to help him," Echo continued.

"And... I'd gotten over the jealousy by that point... and I couldn't let him die," Adrian sighed, the tears coming at the memory. "He was so little and helpless... I couldn't let my little brother die..."

"But he didn't, as you all know... But what you might not know is that he was saved because of Adrian," Echo stated, smiling at him.

"What did you do?" Jaden asked, eyes wide.

"Well, I knew of this Chinese healer in San Francisco... in Chinatown. We'd become friends and I pleaded with him to help cure Sid... And he gave me this herbal medicine and I gave it to Sid... He recovered and... I was so glad... I didn't care if I was just some kid who lived at the mansion. I just was glad he was okay," Adrian stated, his face flooded with relief.

"Mom, Sid, and I were all grateful for what he'd done. But Father...he thanked Adrian once and didn't give him a second glance. Things went back to how they had been," Echo explained with a deep frown, the anger obvious in her eyes.

"But it didn't matter," Adrian said, "as long as Sid was okay... But... there's something else... Something... Echo and I have been hiding..." He looked at her, knowing this would hurt.

Echo stared at him, eyes a little wide. "Adrian...?" she asked quietly. Was he talking about what she thought he was talking about?

"We... can't keep it a secret, Echo..." The rest of the group looked understandably confused.

Echo blushed lightly, only enough for Adrian to see as her gaze turned downward. "I...I don't know what you're talking about," she muttered.

"Yeah, you do... Echo, I know about the locket," Adrian tried, flushing.

Aster's jaw dropped as he comprehended what was going on. "Oh. My. Gosh... Good thing the adoption wasn't finalized..."

Echo flushed visibly this time, reaching up her free hand around the collar of her jacket. The locket was hidden safely under it and her shirt; how had Adrian known about it?! "You...you do? How??"

"Echo, it's me," Adrian sighed. "I went to spy camp, remember?"

Echo's face reddened. She wasn't sure whether to slap him or kiss him at that moment. "Adrian!!"

"And that means I'm observant!" he yelped, not wanting to get killed. "And... I am in serious trouble here... What do I do?" he asked the group.

The guys looked at each other, and then Jaden looked at the girls. "Uh... ask them..." The girls looked at each other.

"Uh... Huddle!" Blair shouted and the girls, except for Echo, went into a huddle.

"Okay, girls. How do we handle this?" Alexis whispered, sweat-dropping. She knew that she would be ticked had Jaden said something along those lines.

"Well... I'd be mad if Chazz did that," Mindy said softly, "but I'd want him to tell me the truth and why he did it..."

"Yeah... I know Sy would spy for a good reason, but I'd still be mad," Annie admitted and the remaining girls nodded in agreement.

"So... should he tell the truth?" Blair asked.

"I think that's the only way he won't get slapped...or worse," Alexis answered, nodding.

And so the girls came out of the huddle. "Come clean, Adrian. It's the only way," Annie stated for the group.

"Okay... Echo... I wanted to know what was in your locket, and I didn't touch anything else in your room! I just wanted to know and I was surprised to see my picture there and that's when I knew... you felt the same way about me," he finished softly.

Echo's blush remained prominent on her face, and what she had been about to say died in her throat at his last words. Her eyes widened slightly, and she stared at him in surprise. "W-Wait...that I felt the same way? Do you mean...?" He nodded, his own blush saying it for him. Her gaze dropped again, a mixture of shock and happiness flowing through her. "And...why didn't you tell me?"

It was as if they were the only two people in the room. "The world thinks you're my sister... And that's how... he wanted it..." And then Adrian laughed bitterly. "Besides, you deserve better than me..."

Echo instantly looked up, meeting his eyes with a serious expression. "Adrian, I don't care what the world or my father thinks. I love you...and I wouldn't want anyone else. You're brilliant and kind and loyal...and you're more than I deserve."

"But... you're funny, you're smart, and you're sweet... I'm just rough around the edges... an orphan nobody," he countered, hardly daring to believe...

"Adrian," Echo interrupted fiercely, eyes burning with something indescribable. "You may be an orphan, but you are not nobody. You're my somebody. Besides...we're both rough around the edges. We'll smooth each other out in the end." Their faces were inches apart, hers getting closer to drill in her words. Adrian might've taken the invitation and kissed Echo right then and there, but he suddenly became aware of several pairs of eyes, particularly Annie Hanson's and Blair Flannigan's which were practically turning into hearts.

Echo blinked, also becoming aware of the eyes. Blushing furiously, she pulled away from Adrian and put on an aloof expression. "A-Anyway...at least now we know..." she muttered, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Y-yeah... but… Aren't you supposed to feel better after you bare your soul?" Adrian wondered. "I still feel heavy..."

Echo frowned. "There must be something you still haven't gotten off your chest..."

Annie stepped up, all serious now. "Adrian...there's an aspect of your past that you haven't faced... What is it?"

"I...I don't know..."

"Would you be willing to be hypnotized?" she asked gently. He nodded.

"Hypnotized??" Echo asked, looking over at Annie.

The Obelisk girl nodded slowly. "Yeah. It's a bit unorthodox, but some psychiatrists and psychologists do it to help a person remember his or her past if that person has really blocked out something. And Adrian may have really blocked something out..."

"About his original family," Echo realized, looking back at the man she was in love with.

Adrian blinked, as if in a dream. "I... I don't remember much... What I remember the most is being out in the desert and running... I felt like I had to run... but... I don't remember from what..."

"We'll help you, Adrian," Axel said, moving up to lay a hand on the other young man's shoulder.

"Whatever it is, mate, maybe this will help you remember it," Jim added with a nod.

Echo squeezed his hand. "I'll be here for you, all right?"

Adrian gripped her hand back. "Thanks, everybody. Now what?"

"Hmmm..." Annie's brow furrowed, reasoning it through. "I think... we need to relax you... and I know who can do it better than us..."

Syrus blinked, practically reading his future wife's mind. "Annie...Are you talking about who I think you are?" he asked.

She sighed. "Yeah... Dueled Jaden... You guys said 'Mokey mokey...' He is definitely a hippie..."

"Belowski!" Jaden shouted happily. "I hope he hasn't disappeared..."

"I don't see how he would... Last time we checked, he was still down in that enclosure," Alexis replied, frowning.

"But the Darkness could still get him," Jaden realized. "I don't think a bunker would save any of us..."

"He's still there," Dr. Crowler said, coming out from the observation room.

"Dr. Crowler? You've been checking on him?" Syrus asked as the group turned to face the teacher.

"Of course. We need to check up on him. We have cameras and bring his meals to him," the teacher explained.

And Chancellor Shepherd added, "We also make sure he talks to us as well. He is a student here."

"Wait a second, just who are you guys talkin' about?" Jesse asked. Of course he and those who hadn't seen Belowski in the first year were confused.

Jaden grinned. "His name's Belowski, and I dueled him!" And so he told those who hadn't been there all about the crazy duel with the hippie boy with the Mokey Mokeys. "... So he can talk to his duel spirits too! And I didn't fall asleep!"

"Dueling is Jaden's coffee," Annie observed, unable to conceal a smile.

Syrus grinned sheepishly. "When you guys meet him, you might feel pretty funny... Like sleepy or just really, really comfortable."

"That kinda sounds nice," Blair said softly. Blair had been so tense since Marcel had been taken that she desperately needed to relax.

"Well, is it all right if we go to see him so he can help us with this, Chancellor Shepherd?" Alexis asked.

"Of course..." And most of the group, with the exception of Miss Fontaine and Professor Sartyr, headed to the chicken coop.

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"Wait, wait, wait. You have GOT to be kiddin' me! There's a hidden tunnel under the chicken coop?!" Jesse asked, shocked when they arrived at the chicken coop.

Jaden met his twin's eyes seriously. "Yeah. And there are ancient ruins, a set of cards hidden here that can't be released or it'll be the end of the world... And I think there might be a portal to Hell somewhere around here," the brown-haired Slifer answered seriously.

The transfer boys and Echo stared at the Slifer, truly unsure of how to react to that. Luckily, the awkward moment was broken by loud squawking and clucking. The chickens had seen Jim, and along with Jim they had seen Shirley. And they were not enjoying a giant crocodile being inches away from their coop.

"Hmmm... how do we deal with the chickens?" Blair asked.

Chancellor Shepherd went in front of the procession with a sack. "Here, chick-chick-chick!" he called, throwing kernels of corn into one side of the coop. "Jim, you'd better put Shirley on your back!"

Jim sweat-dropped, quickly hefting Shirley into her carrier strapped to his back. The last thing he wanted was to have his brand new eye pecked out by a flock of ferocious chickens.

Dr. Crowler looked very wary of the birds as well. "These birds," he groaned.

"Aren't you afraid of cats as well, mon ami?" Jean-Louis asked curiously.

"I'm not afraid of birds, but these birds hate me!" Vellian explained, frustrated.

"Aw, come on, Dr. Crowler! They're just chickens! Don't be such a fraidy-cat," Jesse stated, completely confident as he patted one on the head. They had a chicken coop back home, and those birds didn't give him any problem. However, these weren't exactly normal chickens...

"Jesse... These aren't..!" Jaden yelped starting to run... But it was it was too late. The chickens attacked and the Slifer and North Academy student were running around the chicken coop with the chickens trying to peck them.

"AAAGHH!! TARNATION, JADEN!! WHY DIDN'T YA WARN ME SOONER?!" Jesse yelled, one chicken in his hair and another clamped onto his sleeve.

"YOU DIDN'T ASK, AND I COULDN'T WARN YOU!" Jaden shouted back as five birds were attacking him.

The group sweat-dropped and watched the chase for a few moments. Then, Jim sighed and got Shirley out of her carrier. "Now, Shirley... Don't hurt 'em... Just help Jaden and Jesse, all right?" The crocodile nodded and walked over to where the boys were huddled, trying to protect themselves from the ferocious birds. Stopping a foot away, the chickens paused and stared at the crocodile. She stared back. It was practically a stand-off.

"Jess... if this doesn't work, we're dead!" Jaden moaned as he hugged his twin in terror, practically in chibi-mode.

Jesse, too, was practically in the mode marked by anime. "I'm too young to die by chickens!!" And then, Shirley opened her giant, toothed maw....and let loose a roar reminiscent of dragons. The chickens squawked fearfully and flapped their wings, dashing off to another corner of the pen and leaving nothing but feathers behind.

Jaden blinked. "Thanks, Shirley," he said. "That was cool... just don't use it against us..."

Shirley growled lightly and walked back to Jim, along with Jesse and Jaden. Jesse spit out a feather, running a hand through his hair to get rid of some more. "Uh...what kind of chickens are these, Chancellor Shepherd??"

"They're a hybrid of several different birds which means they have the best and worst of personalities," Shepherd explained. "But their eggs are especially delicious."

"Well, let's get down there before they decide to attack again," Jim stated as he lifted Shirley back into her carrier.

"Good... idea," Jaden shivered. "Okay... I'm not sure if I'm afraid of the Borg anymore..."

"Robot Chicken, Sarge," Tyson said casually.

Jaden thought a minute. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!" he yelped, heading straight for the hatch to Belowski's bunker.

Jesse was right on his heels. "I'm too young to die by ROBOT CHICKENS!!!"

Alexis smacked her forehead. "I'm suddenly glad Atticus isn't here..."

"Chazz just might kill them," Mindy sighed. And the group entered the hatch.

"Okay, take it easy down here," Chancellor Shepherd said.

"Do they need the suits?" Crowler asked.

"No, Vellian, since no one's dueling..." They all went quiet for a moment as a series of lights came on in the underground bunker.

"What is this place?" Adrian muttered.

"Oh, yeah! There's also a lab here, Jesse!" Jaden was saying brightly.

"A lab??" The blue-haired teen asked in surprise.

"Yeah. But we don't go up there... Probably a good idea. They experimented on monkeys," Jaden explained.

"On monkeys?" Jim asked now, frowning.

"Yeah... they made this one monkey named Wheeler learn to duel and he did pretty well... Man, Kisara was mad when she found out about the monkey's name," Jaden grinned.

Alexis laughed a bit. "Joey wasn't too happy about it, either. But he knew that it wasn't Seto's idea."

"Somehow I don't want to know," Adrian muttered as they came to a domed structure in the bunker. "Is this where he lives?" Jaden asked, eyes wide. "Yes, Jaden, this is where Belowski lives," Shepherd answered.

"It doesn't look very welcoming," Syrus muttered, frowning.

"It's all right... you'll see what's inside," Shepherd soothed. He opened a door on the structure and they went through.

"Oh wow!" Blair said when they saw the inside. It was a mini tropical paradise that greeted their eyes. A small island with a palm tree and a beach house on stilts sat, and they could hear the soft crash of waves against the shore.

"This is a Kaiba Corp/ Von Schroeder Corp joint system, isn't it?" Annie wondered. The teachers all nodded.

"How did you know, Annie?" Professor Viper asked curiously.

"Uh... well, I overheard Daddy talking to Seto one night about a joint project that Kaiba Corp had done with Von Schroeder Corp. They were talking about what sounded like a holosuite," she answered shyly.

"Well, this looks like a place Belowski would stay," Syrus said, looking around the island in awe.

And then... "Hey, dudes," Belowski smiled, coming down from his beach house. "Wasn't expectin' visitors but I'm glad you're here. How's it hangin', Professor Stein?"

"Hello, Belowski. I'm fine, thank you," Stein greeted in a monotone that almost matched Belowski's relaxed tone.

"Dude, you so need a chill pill," the little Obelisk sighed. "Hey, Jaden and... blue-haired Jaden," he greeted the two boys.

Jesse blinked. "Uh, the name's Jesse. You must be Belowski."

"Yeah... That's my name.... You so look like you could be Jaden's twin..." And Belowski smiled as Ruby Carbuncle materialized along with the other Crystal Beasts. "Oh, wow... I've never met these dudes before..."

"They're the Crystal Beasts, my duel spirits," Jesse explained, grinning.

"Bi bi," Ruby greeted, hopping onto Belowski's shoulder.

The small boy giggled as Ruby started sniffing at his hair. "Um... Hello, I'm Emerald Turtle," the green-jeweled crystal beast said nervously.

"And I am Amber Mammoth," the elephantine creature added in his Austrian accent.

"Why do you sound like Arnold Schwarzenegger?" Belowski asked the elephantine creature curiously.

"I... don't know..."

Sapphire Pegasus gave a whinnying laugh. "He gets that all the time. He was just made that way," he explained.

"Cosmic," Belowski said, giving his normal relaxed smile. He got to know all of the Crystal Beast and then was properly introduced to the rest of the gang. When Belowski came to Blair, he said, "Hey, dudette..."

Blair blinked, surprised. Belowski's short, extremely thin frame and long hair instantly brought one person to mind. "Marcel..." she muttered, frowning. "You look kinda like Marcel, Belowski..."

"Marcel?" he asked. He wasn't completely aware of what was happening outside his safe bubble.

"He...he's one of the students who was...taken..." Blair told him about Marcel, and how he'd been taken days before.

"And he isn't the only one gone," Jaden added. He told Belowski all that had happened and how many of their own group was missing.

"... So the smart dude and his girlfriend are gone?" the boy asked.

"Yeah," Jaden sighed.

"But, there is good news. We found a way to stop them from taking anymore of us," Alexis stated, smiling.

"Oh... How?"

"Well, Belowski, we're working on getting rid of our bad vibes," Annie explained. She told him what they'd done and who still remained. "...And if you don't mind, could you help us relax Adrian? You'd get out of here for a bit," she offered.

The boy looked up at the teachers. "Can I?"

Chancellor Shepherd nodded. "Of course, Belowski. You could use the break," he grinned.

"So... do we go now?" the small boy asked.

"Of course," Shepherd answered.

And then Belowski noticed something. "Nobody's falling asleep..."

"Well, that's because we're not dueling, right?" Syrus asked.

"Nobody's dueling... That's it! Belowski, you can be up with us if you don't duel... Without it... you're just a very calming presence!" Annie grinned, and then sobered. "That was Bastion's theory..."

"Then... He doesn't have to stay down here?" Alexis asked the chancellor, looking over at him.

"For now, he can stay up with us," the chancellor answered, smiling.

Though Jesse had only just met the boy, he grinned and whooped with joy. "That's great! Better than stayin' down here, that's for sure!"

Belowski gave his customary relaxed grin, gamely following the group up away from his home. It was a strange feeling not to be there, and a strange feeling to be with humans. 'Happy Lover, Mokey Mokeys... stay close,' he sent to his favorite monsters.

'Okay,' the monsters sent in their own languages.

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After dodging another chicken attack, the group returned to Ra Yellow where they heard a cry of pain. It had come from Atticus, who was still in immense pain from his burns. Miss Fontaine had tried putting on more salve, but it seemed to have stopped working to soothe his pain. "He's just not responding to this. I've tried everything and he may just have to ride it out," Fonda groaned.

"Bro... try to relax," Chazz was pleading, gripping his big brother's hand.

"I...c-can't... Hurts...too...m-much," Atticus stammered out, voice shaking with the pain. Tears brimmed his eyes as his body writhed and cringed, hands clenching at the bed sheets. The pain he was feeling was almost as bad as when he'd been trapped in the Shadow Realm.

"What do we do?" Annie murmured, wishing she knew more than she did.

"Let me try," Belowski offered softly, his eyes worried. This was the first time he'd really seen pain, and he wanted to help.

"B…Belowski...?" Atty asked in surprise when the petite boy came over to his bedside. He wanted to grin and say hi, but couldn't muster up the actions through this pain.

"Hi, Atticus dude... Glad you're back..." He'd met the older boy briefly when Atticus was in his first year. "Let me try and help you, okay?" Atticus blinked, but nodded. Whatever help he could get from anyone, he'd take without question. Belowski moved forward and took the older boy's burned hand. "Just breathe," he murmured. "Let your mind go..."

And then a Mokey Mokey appeared, wanting to help his human friend. "Mokey Mokey," it called out. Atticus grimaced, closing his eyes. He tried to focus on breathing, and then nothing. Pain continued to slowly wreak havoc on his body, but he was letting go.

The Mokey Mokey kept calling out softly, like a song on the wind. "Keep breathing," Belowski murmured, using his mysterious power to help the older boy relax enough not to feel the pain.

Atticus groaned, though it was in relief rather than pain. He felt weightless, like he was floating in nothingness. And greatest of all was the fact that in this nothingness he felt no pain. "Just rest," Belowski suggested softly. "Go ahead and sleep so you'll heal..." And Atticus did just that, falling into a deep sleep even though it should have been near-impossible to do so.

Miss Fontaine smiled. "Belowski, that was amazing. How did you do it?" she asked. "He's going to rest well..."

"I just tried to help," the boy answered softly, in a dreamlike state.

Alexis smiled, and couldn't help but hug the small boy. "Belowski... Thank you. He was in so much pain..."

Belowski hugged back. "Just wanted to help him, Alexis, dudette... I don't like seein' people hurt at all..." His big gray eyes showed the pain he'd felt with Atticus. "I don't like pain," he murmured.

Fonda moved forward. "It's going to be all right," she soothed, seeing the start of tears.

Don, too, moved over to Belowski. "You helped him, so he's not in pain now... That was a very good thing you just did, Belowski."

Belowski nodded. "He hurt so much... I could feel it, you know?"

"You are very sensitive to others' emotions, Belowski," Don explained.

Belowski nodded silently, and looked up at Adrian and Echo. "You're both hurting, aren't you?" Silently, they nodded. "Then... can I help, dudes?"

Adrian knelt to his level. "Sure, kid... And if I can, I'll help you..."

The gang headed back into the common room as Atticus and Chazz rested in their temporary quarters. "So... what do I do now?" Belowski asked as Annie drew the curtains to make the room darker.

"You need to relax Adrian to the point he won't fight hypnotism," the girl explained, also fluffing pillows.

"Okay... um... Miss Fontaine... Professor Sartyr... I get good vibes from you guys," the boy stated.

The teachers blinked and exchanged glances. "You do?" Don asked, surprised by the short teen's statement.

The small teen nodded. "Yeah... are you two like, married or something?" he asked.

Fonda blushed. "Well, no..."

Don blushed as well, grinning sheepishly. "We're just dating..."

Belowski nodded. "But you're really close... And you give each other good vibes," he observed.

"We...do?" Fonda asked, amazed at how perceptive Belowski really was.

"Yeah... you belong together," the gray-eyed boy observed innocently. Don's face reddened even more as he looked away, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. Belowski nodded and moved over to Adrian. "Ready?" he asked the tall redhead.

"Ready," Adrian answered, taking deep breaths to steady himself as the small boy held one hand and Echo held the other. Echo watched Adrian, hoping this would work and the burden he'd unknowingly been holding would be removed. Then he'd finally be safe and she wouldn't have to worry.

"Okay, Adrian... close your eyes," Annie said in a soothing voice.

Belowski murmured, "Just let go, dude. You're driftin' on a wave in the universe, away from anger... war... worries... everything..." And Adrian felt his worries drift away.

"Are you there, Adrian?" Annie's voice came, as if from a far-off place.

"Yeah," he murmured back, easing onto the couch and lying down. Echo watched in awe, glancing at Belowski. The kid looked so weak and powerless, and yet he had a power like this. No wonder they kept him locked up in that enclosure underground.

"Okay, Adrian... go back to when you were little," Annie murmured.

Belowski moved away and over to the two adults he'd seemed to imprint upon. "This is not going to be righteous," he whispered.

Don frowned. "If he suppressed it this deeply, then no, it won't," he agreed.

"Just relax, sweetie... He needs to let this pain out," Fonda soothed, ruffling the boy's hair a little.

"Adrian," Annie was saying, "how old are you right now?"

And in a much younger voice, he answered, "I'm two... And I live with Mommy-Dad in my house..."

"Mommy-Dad?" Syrus asked Annie quietly, glancing at her in confusion.

"His mom and dad," Annie muttered. "Is that right, Adrian? You live with your mommy and dad?"

"Yeah... Mommy-Dad..."

"Where is your house, Adrian?" Echo had to ask. She guessed it was in the desert, but maybe it wasn't.

"It's on a street," he said matter-of-factly.

"Echo, he's two in this progression... He may not know at this age," Annie whispered. "Adrian, let's go forward to when you're... 4..."

"Okay..." His voice changed slightly. "Mommy, I don't want to move," he said in a slightly frustrated voice.

"You're moving, Adrian?" Echo asked in a gentle voice, surprised by this.

"Mommy says we can't live at our house anymore... Daddy says so, too... They say they can't keep making payments," he answered softly. "I don't want to leave Barstow... But we're moving to Mojave," he sulked. "My friends aren't there..."

"Barstow?" Alexis asked.

"Barstow's in San Bernardino County, Lex," Jaden whispered. "It's a poor town, and there's a pretty high crime rate... But Mojave... that's in Kern County and the town is really small... It's big on planes and space stuff..."

Alexis blinked and stared at him. "How did you know that??"

"I actually paid attention in geography," he answered.

She sweat-dropped. "Right..."

Adrian sighed and his tone brightened, voice changing a bit. "Daddy's going to take me to the spaceport today!"

"Why is that, Adrian?" Annie asked in a voice reminiscent of a kindergarten teacher.

"'Cause it's my 6th birthday tomorrow and Dad says I can do anything I want! He's going to take off from his candy experiment!!"

"Candy experiment?" Echo asked.

"Yeah... Dad and Mom make this candy... I don't think they have the ingredients right, though... They use yucky stuff to make it, like cough syrup," he explained.

"Cough syrup?" Blair asked.

"Yeah... and the stuff Mom uses to clean the floor... Mom doesn't want me where they make it..."

Echo frowned, thinking. "Cough syrup...floor cleaner... Those two ingredients do sound familiar...but what are they both used for?" she muttered.

Blair was running through the ingredients as well. "Wait a sec... Oh, my gosh... Oh, boy..."

"Blair, what is it?" Mindy asked.

"They were making meth!" the eleven-year-old exclaimed in horror.

Annie nodded confirmation and continued with Adrian. "Did you get to go to the Mojave Spaceport?"

"Yeah, yesterday! And they had a plane doing a test run. It was so cool to see it go up!"

"And what's happening today, Adrian?" Echo asked.

"Today I just get to play outside... It's been really nice and it's just the start of the summer," the young man said pleasantly in the child's voice. "When it's fall, I'm going back to school and I'll be in the first grade. I can read already, and my kindergarten teacher said I'm super smart!" And then his tone changed again, as his teen self came back. "I don't want to remember this..."

Echo squeezed his hand. "It's okay, Adrian... We're here...and it's okay to remember..."

"Adrian... you need to remember," Annie said firmly. "It's going to be all right... Where are you now and when is it?"

"It's... it's a week before school is starting. Mom found the money to get me a new backpack, at least... And today... they need me to play outside... Some men are coming for their candy order..." He shivered like a scared rabbit.

"Adrian...did something happen when the men came for their candy order?" Echo asked softly, carefully.

"They... they want a lot of candy..."

"Adrian... what do they look like?" Annie asked.

"They're wearing polo shirts with a G over a big tree on the pocket..." Several eyes widened in the room.

"Echo, isn't that the symbol of the Gecko Financial Group?" Axel asked.

Echo's eyes were as wide as they possibly could be. "Y-Yeah...it is... But, that doesn't make sense... Unless..."

"Echo, what is it?" Jasmine asked with concern.

Echo frowned and placed a hand to her head. "When I was young, really young... Before Adrian was 'adopted'... I remember Father talking about candy a lot too... And about how cheap he was getting it from 'dirty rats in the middle of nowhere'... I thought it was weird at the time, getting candy from rats..."

And then Axel remembered something he'd read about the Gecko father. "He was in rehab for a few months, right?"

Echo nodded. "Yes, he was."

Annie murmured, "Adrian, what's happening..?"

"The men are here, and they want to go in the candy lab. Daddy says it's not a good idea... But they aren't listening to him and Mommy... Everyone's gonna get hurt!" His voice rose in terror. "DON'T GO IN THERE!" he shrieked. It was an almost unholy sound.

Echo leaned back in shock, but kept a tight hold on Adrian's hand. "A-Adrian?!"

"NOOOOOO!!!!" he screeched. "MOMMY! DADDY!!!" And then he sank back in the pillows, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Adrian... when I count to five, you're going to remember everything, including what you told us," Annie stated in a clear voice, tears coming in her eyes, too. "One, two, three, four, five..."

And Adrian's gray eyes snapped open. "They... they died..."

Echo pulled him into a tight hug. "Do you remember what you told us, Adrian?" she asked softly.

He managed a nod. "Ec-Echo... Gil had a meth problem... And Mom and Dad died because those guys wouldn't listen," he shakily stated, wrapped in her arms. "I remember everything..."

She frowned. "He knew about you all along... He acted like he didn't know anything...but he had to have known what happened..."

"My last name was Hopeman," he remembered. "Maybe he didn't know who I was... The men that came never saw me, but I'm sure they saw my toys... He was never out there..." Adrian just sounded puzzled at the moment now.

"I don't know about that. Father had connections... He knew a lot about a lot of people," Echo replied seriously.

"The only w-way to know... is to ask him... Echo... he'll completely disown me..."

"So? He never owned you in the first place... Besides, I'm still his daughter. I'll take care of you... He needs to be put in his place and face this."

Adrian met her eyes. "How will he react to you taking my side?"

Echo frowned. "I don't know... But however he reacts, I'll deal with it. I care about you so much more..."

They held each other in a hug for a long moment. "Uh... Professor Sartyr... Does this room have a good view screen?" Adrian asked the Ra headmaster.

"Uh, yes. We have one for emergencies," the teacher answered.

"Thanks... I think we need witnesses, Echo..." Adrian knew Gilbert Gecko could get ugly.

"Good idea. Do you want me to call him?"

"We'll do it together," he answered, setting up the appropriate equipment as the rest of the group got the curtains open and straightened up the room.

_And it seems that Adrian and Echo are about to turn their world topsy-turvy in the name of truth, justice and love. What will the consequences be? Stay tuned for "Unexpected Shadows." Until next time, please read and review! Thank you!_


	32. Unexpected Shadows

Chapter XXXII: Unexpected Shadows

_Hello again, everyone and welcome back! We're glad to see you still with us and thanks for reviewing! We welcome our new reviewers and welcome back our older ones and hope your questions are answered when we can answer them! Anyhow, let's get on with the story!_

_Last time, Jaden recovered from his fight with the Supreme King, while Annie discovered that her body had somehow been regenerated thanks to the Orichalcum stone. With help from Belowski, Adrian faced his own inner darkness, which, in another timeline, could've destroyed him one way or another. He revealed that he and Echo were in fact not even adopted siblings, and that his parents had been drug dealers who sold to Gilbert Gecko. And so he and Echo decided to confront the man they called Father. What will happen now? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: Check the last few hundred chapters.**_

_Authors' notes: Adrian is definitely a bit different than he was in canon as this is an attempt to make him a bit more likable on Peach's part. He isn't under Yubel's influence now and neither is he fighting Viper. He's let himself relax and actually be truly nice in this timeline. Further, we've attempted to give Echo a deeper personality than she was given in canon. We didn't see her much, but we know that she was pretty tough and can conjecture she was independent. Her weak point, though, was Adrian. In this timeline, though, we have hopefully given her a bit more life. So we hope you don't mind too much._

_Warnings: Physical abuse, death… Yes, it's definitely what happens with a lot of father figures in the Yugi-verse. So this isn't a fluffy chapter with sappy 80s reconciliation music. This will not be pretty, so hang in there. Thank you._

Across the water on California's north coast, Gilbert Gecko sat smugly at his desk. The world was his oyster and he could have anything he wanted. And then his view screen rang on the private line. "Hello, Echo...Adrian... what are you doing together? Have you anything to report?"

Echo visibly tensed when her father came on-screen, and the slightest hint of fear and loathing entered her eyes. "No, Father. We called you for a different reason."

Gilbert Gecko was a somewhat rotund man with dark hair around his balding head. Steepling his fingers, he asked, "What is this, then?"

"The gig is up, Gil, because I remember now," Adrian answered. His eyes were narrow behind his glasses and he looked every bit the calculating spy that Gilbert had trained. "You bought the meth from my mom and dad and your men are the reason they're dead..." Echo hadn't expected Adrian to be so bold, to say it all at once. She inwardly cringed, nervous to see her father's reaction. It was bound to be really bad after hearing all that.

Gilbert might've blown up, but today, he didn't. "I thought you'd find out some day, Adrian... but how did you?"

"Hypnotherapy..."

Echo was shocked that her father's voice hadn't even raised an inch. "Father...did you know all this time that Adrian was their son?"

Gilbert nodded. "It was assumed he was killed in the explosion... But a DNA test revealed who he was... I've known for a few years, given the boy an education and made him into a good information gatherer... He's more than he would've been..."

"You don't know that for sure, Father... He could have been just as great," Echo countered without thinking. Normally, she'd never argue with her father.

"Echo, why are you talking to me in that tone?" Gilbert asked tightly, a warning tone.

Echo flinched at the tone, head dropping slightly so that the shadow of her hat hid her eyes. She was an obedient little girl again. "I'm sorry, Father. It won't happen again, Father," she muttered, voice filled with pain.

Annie caught it, and it awakened her own fighting spirit. She wouldn't let this bully get away with intimidating her friends. "So my dad is right... You are an intimidating jerk," she scowled as her eyes narrowed.

"And who might you be?" he asked, giving her the look that intimidated his wife and children.

But Annie wouldn't quail, having faced down the Grim Reaper himself. "I'm Annie Hanson... And my dad warned me about men like you..."

"And I'm Syrus Truesdale... We won't let you hurt and intimidate Adrian and Echo anymore. Because we're their friends," Syrus added seriously, glaring at Gilbert.

Jaden stood as well. "I'm Jaden Yuki... and I'm Adrian and Echo's friend... and they told us everything..."

"WHAT?!" Gilbert snarled. "What did you tell them?" he growled at Adrian.

The young man stood tall. "I told them all about the scam you've put over the world. They know I'm not really your son..."

"You never were worthy," Gilbert smirked wickedly.

And Echo broke from her shell again. "You're right. It would take someone as evil, selfish, greedy, and uncaring as you to be worthy of running such a corrupt company."

"Why you little...!" he began angrily.

"Don't you dare talk to her like that!" Adrian shouted, defending the woman he loved.

"I'll call my daughter what I like, you little rat!"

"Adrian is not a rat! And I wish I wasn't the daughter of such a horrible man!" Echo countered again, glaring fiercely at him.

"That can be arranged, you little ingrate! I can cut both of you off! And I'll blacklist you..."

"Do that and I'll make sure Kaiba Corp, HanCo and Industrial Illusions ruin you!" Annie countered, eyes fierce. She knew full well that her father, Seto Kaiba and Max Pegasus would all join together to take Gilbert Gecko down. Seto, in particular, she knew, would be ruthless.

"We're not scared of you anymore, Father," Echo stated, eyes set.

Gilbert ignored his daughter. "And just how are you going to ruin me, young lady?"

Annie uncharacteristically smirked, holding up what looked like a remote control. It was the key to a recording system that automatically would save the conversation and send it to the three business moguls. "This whole thing has been recorded, Mr. Gecko, and whether or not it's admissible in court doesn't matter. The public will see it and will want your blood." And then Gilbert said some very... choice words.

And as usual, that set off Syrus. "HEY!! Don't you EVER call her that again!!" he yelled, anger spiking. If there was one thing that angered him, it was when someone insulted the woman he loved.

"And just who do you think you are, you little shrimp?!"

"He's my fiancé!" Annie stated angrily.

"Fiancé? Figures a little XXXX like you would get a weakling like him!" The teachers' jaws dropped at the language and Belowski's eyes were as wide as saucers.

Syrus was about to snap back at the older man, but something in Echo clicked. She remembered just how many times her father had thrown that insult her way, and she'd had enough. "FATHER! I don't care what you call me, but don't you DARE insult theonly friends I have that way!! You may be my father, but you don't love me... And I don't care! But now you're going down, and there's nothing you can do to stop us."

Gilbert might've gone on at the group on the other end of the line, but then... "Gilbert! What did you just say?!" Rachel Gecko gasped, stunned. She looked very much like her daughter, but with a less severe hairstyle and a softer face.

Echo's eyes widened at the voice. "M-Mom...?"

"Echo... honey... Oh my... Did he just call you... that word?!"

"No, Mom... Not this time... He insulted one of our friends."

"Gilbert!" Rachel gasped.

"Echo and the Hanson brat had it coming. She'll ruin us, Rachel!"

"Wrong, this'll ruin you, Father," Echo corrected in a low growl.

Rachel took a deep breath. "Gilbert... You can't expect to get away with this behav--" CRACK! Gilbert slapped her, hard.

"RACHEL!" Adrian shouted. He'd never seen Gilbert lash out at the woman who had cared about him enough to call him her son.

"MOM!" Echo shouted at almost the same moment, eyes wide. "YOU XXXXXXX!! How could you hit her?!" She couldn't stop herself from calling her father a word she'd learned from the sailors.

Rachel was stunned for a moment, the red mark coming across her face. Her husband of 25 years had only hit her three times before that. All of those times she had been able to dismiss because he had done them in moments of frustration, or so she thought. But this... she could not explain this away. "This conversation is over," Gilbert said. "And you two will no longer be welcome at this house."

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Rachel countered, her dark eyes snapping. "You're leaving, Gil... And my lawyers will say as much..."

"You ungrateful XXXXX!" And then, as Gilbert snapped off the connection, both adults became aware of a young presence in their room.

"Mommy? Daddy?" called a young voice, standing just inside the door. It was little Sid Gecko, only six years old, wearing his red-striped polo and jean shorts. He had short, brown hair and big, brown eyes that shown with innocence and worry. "I heard yelling..."

"Sid, sweetheart, go to Mommy's special room, now," Rachel said calmly, though there was an edge of panic in her voice. "Daddy's going to leave the house for a bit..."

"No... Mommy's leaving because she doesn't know how to listen," Gil growled softly, stepping toward Rachel again.

Sid, obviously confused, looked from one parent to the other. Who was he supposed to listen to? But then, he saw the red mark on his mother's face, a mark he'd only seen a rare few times on her and numerous times on his big sister. And Sid may have been a kid, but he knew from experience that it was a bad thing. "Mommy! Are you okay?!" he asked in fright, running to her.

Rachel took a breath. "Sidney, I'll be all right. Go to my room, right now..."

"Rachel... you deserved that..." Gilbert moved closer, and out of instinct, the mother picked up her child and ran for her room, barricading the door.

"Daddy's not okay right now, baby. And Mommy's going to call someone to help..."

Now Sid was scared. This had never happened before; he'd never seen his father look so terrifying. Usually, Gilbert Gecko collected himself before appearing before his son. It was the first time Sid had seen this horrible side of his father, and it truly frightened him. "M-Mommy...I'm scared... Why is Daddy like this?"

"Daddy's just very angry, Sid... He's gotten angry before... And he needs a time out because he also called somebody a very bad word," Rachel explained softly as she grabbed the phone and began dialing. "And I'm calling the police to stop him."

"The policemen?" Sid frowned. "Are they going to come and take Daddy away? Did Daddy do something really bad??"

"Daddy hit Mommy and it's not okay to hit, Sid... So they may take Daddy..." Rachel got on the phone and within 15 minutes, the police were at the mansion.

Rachel was still on with the operator when the officers made their way to her room where Gilbert was pounding on the door in blind rage. When the police got his attention, he said, "My wife is acting irrational! She's got our son in the room with her and I think she'll hurt him!"

"Now, sir, we need you to calm down," stated one of the officers. She had long blonde hair pulled into a tight bun and blue eyes.

With her were two other officers, one an African American man with dark brown hair and green eyes. "We'd like you to step away from the door, sir," he added.

Gilbert pulled himself away from the door. A third officer, a tall woman with auburn hair pulled into a ponytail, dark green eyes and a feminine yet muscular physique knocked on the bedroom door. "Mrs. Gecko, please come out. This is Lita Travers. I'm a police officer."

"Okay," the woman answered calmly. "It's going to be okay, Sid..."

Sid nodded, holding tightly onto his mother's hand as they opened the door. He looked up at his father in a mixture of confusion, worry, and complete innocence to what the man had done. "Daddy...?"

"Ma'am, sir, we need to ask you a few questions," Officer Lita said. "Can you let go of your mom's hand for a minute, little guy?" she asked with a warm smile.

Sid frowned and held it tighter. "Why do I need to let go of Mommy? Are you gonna take Mommy away too?" he asked fearfully.

The blonde officer crouched down so that she was eye level with Sid. "No, no. We're not going to take either of them away. We just need to talk to them, okay? You can stay with Officer Jones while you wait. Okay?" she explained in a soothing tone.

"Hey, little guy. You want to try on a real policeman's hat?" Officer Jones, the dark-skinned policeman said kindly. Sid blinked, but nodded and smiled a little. Letting go of his mother's hand, he went off to the side with Officer Jones and put on the too big hat.

As the officers started to speak with Rachel first, Gilbert Gecko decided to make a move. "Sid," he whispered, and then made a slight motion that the boy should come to him.

Sid had already given Officer Jones his hat back, and the man was busy answering a call on his radio about a nearby domestic disturbance. So he didn't notice Sid going over to his father and taking his hand, fully trusting the man who had raised him. "What, Daddy?" he asked.

"Let's take a little walk while Mommy and the officers talk, okay?" Gilbert whispered. 'Rachel will never see him again,' he thought.

"Walk?" Sid repeated, surprised. But he'd gone for walks with his father before, when he had free time. And the policemen hadn't said they couldn't leave. "Okay!" he answered happily, glad to get some more time with his father.

Gilbert took the boy by the hand and took a few steps when Officer Lita looked up. "Hold it!" she shouted.

"Try and get me!" Gil shouted back, grabbing his youngest child and starting to run.

Sid cried out in surprise when his father abruptly picked him up, face contorting into slight pain. He looked up at his father and then back at the police officer. "Daddy! She said to stop!" he shouted, thinking his father hadn't heard.

"Stop in the name of the law!" Officer Jones yelled, chasing after Gilbert along with the blonde policewoman.

"GILBERT! LET HIM GO!" Rachel shouted, tears in her eyes. Gilbert got down the hall, Sid struggling in his grip and screaming. He wanted nothing more than to get out of the house with Sid and fly off somewhere, but he knew he couldn't outrun three police officers.

So he looked on the wall and saw an old-fashioned hand gun. He pulled it off the wall and held it to Sid's head. "You're letting me out of here with the kid! Or he dies!"

Sid froze, remembering what he'd learned in school about guns. They were dangerous and they hurt people, and you should never trust someone with a gun because they could hurt you. But that didn't make sense, because this was his daddy. You could trust your daddy, and your daddy wouldn't hurt you on purpose. Right? 'Then why is Daddy pointing a gun at me? I don't like this...' he thought, tears springing to his eyes. "MOMMY!!" Sid cried, reaching for the only person who could comfort him and make things simple again.

Officer Jones already had his gun out of its holster and had it aimed at Gilbert, and the blonde officer was in the same stance. "Put the gun down, Mr. Gecko. Don't do anything you'll regret... We don't want to hurt you."

"Let the kid go, Mr. Gecko. You don't want to hurt your son," Officer Lita tried.

"Gilbert, please!" Rachel pleaded, tears in her eyes.

Gilbert let Sid down. "There... You can have him, Rachel... You can have everything! I don't care!!" But he didn't set the gun down.

Sid didn't hesitate; he ran into his mother's arms, still crying. "M-Mommy!" he sobbed, still confused and hurt.

The three police officers kept their own guns trained on Gilbert. "Mr. Gecko, put the gun down. I'm certain you and your wife can talk this all out," the blonde officer tried in a reassuring tone.

"No... we can't... I admit it, I hit her... You can see the bruise marks... And I've hit my kids when they deserve it... I've done everything I've done because I loved my family... But no more, because I'm through..." He stepped forward to the police officers. The distance between them was about 50 yards. "You aren't going to take me to jail..."

"HALT AND DROP THE GUN!" Officer Lita shouted.

But Gil, as if mocking them, took another step. 'I'm not getting out of here alive,' he thought, smirking crazily.

All three officers had an idea of what Gilbert was planning, but they continued to try and stop him. "Mr. Gecko, if you come any closer we'll be forced to shoot!!" Officer Jones warned.

"Mr. Gecko, consider your family! Don't do this to them!" the blonde officer added.

"Don't do what?" were Gilbert's last words in this world. He then walked faster. And Officer Lita Travers reacted as she'd been trained in the police academy. She targeted, tripped the hammer on her gun, let out half a breath and pulled the trigger, letting off a single round. And in a split second, Gilbert Eliazar Gecko fell back onto the red runner over the wood floor.

Rachel held Sid to her. "Don't look, baby... don't look..."

Sid had cringed at the loud sound of the gun shooting, and shivered in his mother's arms. "Mommy...is Daddy okay?" he asked worriedly. Guns hurt people. Meanwhile, Officer Jones carefully went to Gilbert's body, keeping hold of his gun as he crouched down. Placing two fingers to the older man's neck to check for a pulse, he frowned and shook his head. He respectfully closed the now-deceased Gilbert Gecko's eyes.

"Honey... Daddy..." Rachel was physically shaking, unable to speak. She had seen Gilbert's death all too clearly, and she turned green and set her son down before she vomited all over the floor.

"Mommy!!" Sid yelled, shocked. As the blonde officer kneeled beside Rachel to help her, he turned to try and see if his father was okay. And then he saw him on the ground, not moving. Blood was starting to seep out from under him from the bullet wound in his chest. "D-Daddy...?" Sid whispered, beginning to shake. Getting no response, he flipped, and ran towards his father's corpse shrieking cries of, "DADDY!!!"

Officer Lita ran after the boy and caught him. "Shh... Shhh... I'm sorry, honey. I'm sorry..."

Sid squirmed in her grip, reaching out towards his father. "Let go!! DADDY!! Daddy, get up!!" he screamed, face wet with tears. Even if his father had just threatened to kill him, he still couldn't believe he was gone. He couldn't. His father just _had_ to be alive.

Rachel had finally regained herself and managed to move to her child. "Sidney... baby, Daddy can't get up..." She still had tears in her eyes and looked dreadfully pale.

Sid clung to his mother, burying his face in her shoulder. "But why, Mommy?? Wh-Why can't Daddy get up?" he asked, tiny body quaking.

"Daddy's... dead, honey..."

"No," he moaned, still not wanting to believe it. "H-He can't be... Mommy, Daddy can't be...d-dead..."

"He... he is, honey... Just hold onto me," she murmured softly. And he did, crying his heart out as he was forced to accept the fact that his father was gone. This would end up scarring him for the rest of his life, even if he didn't know that now.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Back at the academy, Adrian shivered slightly. "I've got a bad feeling about this... I shouldn't have just blurted it out."

Echo frowned, shivering herself. Something didn't feel right. "Maybe...maybe we should call Mom, Adrian."

"Hopefully Gilbert didn't do anything to her... I'd never forgive myself if he hurt her because of me..."

"Sid should be safe... He wouldn't hurt him," Echo muttered, though the worry still nagged at her.

"I didn't think he'd ever hurt you... But that one time," Adrian began and then stopped. Echo sent him a look, frowning deeply. That was the last thing she wanted to talk about.

Jasmine looked up, sadness and pain in her eyes. "Your own dad hit you? My dad would never lay a hand on me, and any guy who would have... well, I'd shudder to think what he'd do..."

Echo sighed. "He didn't do as much to me as he did to Adrian... But he did slap me..."

Jaden's eyes were wide. He hadn't spoken since his defense of the younger Geckos. And now his face just spoke of disbelief and pain. He'd never seen husbands and wives act that way toward each other and it stunned him.

"Jaden?" Alexis asked, looking worriedly at her fiancé.

He blinked. "Lex... how could he do that? He's supposed to love her..." His eyes went down. "I mean... you aren't supposed to hurt somebody like that, especially when it's someone you married or your kids..."

"Jay," she sighed. "I don't know why he did it or how. But he did...and hopefully he's going to get the same treatment Chazz's brothers did for it."

"He'll get out of it," Adrian said dully. "He's got good lawyers..."

"But so did Slade and Jagger. And they still went to jail," Alexis pointed out.

"Yeah, but they slipped up the night before trial... Gilbert won't be that stupid..."

"Maybe not," Echo muttered, wondering why she was so worried.

"Yeah..." And then Adrian's personal cell phone rang. "Hello, this is Adrian."

"This is Adrian Gecko?" an unfamiliar baritone male voice at the other end of the line asked.

"Yes, it is. Who's calling please?"

"This is Officer Louis Jones of the Verona Police Department. I'm afraid I'm calling under the least desirable of circumstances. Is Echo with you?"

"Yeah," Adrian answered, the worry in his voice coming.

Echo caught the worry and looked over at him, frowning. 'Who is it?' she silently mouthed.

'The police,' he mouthed back. "Officer, should I turn on my speaker so she can talk to you as well?"

"Of course," the older man answered. Echo tensed, a cold feeling settling over her body. Did this have to do with the bad feeling she'd had ever since her father hung up? "Miss Gecko? Are you there?" Officer Jones asked when Adrian had the call on speaker phone.

"Yes, I am," she answered, hands clenching and unclenching.

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your father has passed away..." The teachers moved close to the Gecko daughter and the unofficial Gecko son. And all over the room, everyone had various expressions of pain, sympathy and disbelief.

Echo froze, eyes widening while her pupils shrunk in pure shock. Her jaw dropped slightly and she stared ahead, as if lost in thought. "Wh... What...?" she barely managed to mutter.

Adrian put his arm around the best friend he'd ever had and the woman he loved. "How... how did it happen?" he dared asked.

"There was a call made by your mother for help due to a domestic violence situation, and she had called from her bedroom. She came out of the room after we arrived and your father attempted to leave the home with your little brother, Sidney. He actually put a gun to the boy's head..."

"WHAT?!" Adrian yelped in shock.

"WHAT?!?!" Echo yelled at the same time, heart rate shooting up. 'HE DID THAT?! How could he?! Sid,' she thought. "Is he all right? Did he hurt him??"

"Sidney was unharmed... physically, but he did see what happened after one of our group of officers was forced to open fire."

"Oh, no... Sid," Echo moaned, only able to guess what seeing that had done to him. Especially at such a young age.

"Oh, no... He saw Gilbert... get," Adrian choked, his own recent remembrances coming back to him.

"Adrian...we need to call Mom and Sid," Echo said, looking over at him.

The police officer took a breath. "I'd advise that you wait at least a half hour. Your mother and brother are both resting."

Echo nodded. "All right..." The shock was beginning to wear off, and the pain was hitting her. Yes, her father had abused her and ignored her. But he was still her father, and it hurt her deeply to know that he wasn't there anymore.

Adrian was in shock himself, much as Echo was. He hadn't had a great relationship with the man he'd tried calling Father, but it hurt all the same. So when the police officer hung up the phone, he hugged Echo close. "I can't believe it," he murmured softly, and again it was as if they were the only two people in the room.

Echo hugged back, closing her eyes. "Neither can I," she muttered in a pained tone. "We were just talking to him... It happened so fast... He's gone..."

"Y-yeah..."

"Guys... would you like to be alone in another room for a bit?" Miss Fontaine asked gently. Echo silently nodded, again remembering that they were with other people. The nurse led them down to an abandoned room. It looked much as the other rooms did, but there was a single picture on the nightstand. A small boy stood with his rotund father and tall, slim blonde mother in the picture. And the boy was very familiar, had Adrian been paying attention. Miss Fontaine left them alone together.

Echo sat on the bed, finding it too difficult to stay standing. She was grieving for her father, but also for her mother and little brother. They'd had to watch him die, and Sid had even been put through the horror of having his own father threaten to kill him. "Adrian," she groaned, burying her face in her hands.

Adrian sat with her, aching in every part of him. "I know... I know... Echo... I should've... I should've just... not said anything... Then he'd still be alive... And Sid and Rachel wouldn't be hurting..."

Echo looked over at him again. "No, Adrian... Don't blame yourself for this... It had to come out...eventually... Father's the one who made it this way..."

"But... Echo... I set him off..."

She reached over and grabbed his hand. "Adrian, I was there too. I argued with him and upset him more than you did... What he had with the family couldn't last..."

"But... you..." He pulled her close, hugging her tightly. He was out of words. She hugged back, feeling much the same way. There weren't any words to say how they felt, and the embrace was comfort enough.

In the other room... "Man... that poor little kid," Aster muttered, knowing by experience some of the hell little Sidney was going through. "I didn't see what happened to my dad, but it was bad enough..."

"I can't even begin to imagine what he's feeling right now... I can't believe that guy put a gun to his own son's head like that," Syrus muttered, frowning deeply.

"I've watched so many movies about domestic violence on the women's networks... I never thought I'd see it played out in real life," Annie murmured.

Alexis sighed. "This reminds me of what happened to Joey Wheeler's dad..."

"Yeah... The police took him down too," Jaden remembered. "Man..."

"Kids, this is one of those times we just need to pull together and around the people we care about," Chancellor Shepherd said, speaking for the faculty. "We can't understand why it happened the way it did, but we can understand that this doesn't have to cause us more darkness..."

"He's right. We need to help Adrian and Echo through this so we don't lose 'em too. Not when we're so close to beatin' this," Jesse added, looking and sounding like a determined Jaden with blue hair.

Jaden looked at his southern twin. "Jesse's right. We won't lose them... and nothing's gonna stand in our way. We'll keep them together and not let Darkness take 'em! Should we still let them be alone, though?"

The teens looked at Miss Fontaine. "Miss Fontaine? What do you think?" Alexis asked.

Fonda thought carefully. "They need a few minutes together, and I'll check on them..."

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Back in the room... "Echo... you need to talk," Adrian said softly.

"But, Adrian..." Echo muttered, looking at him with an expression that screamed she was against the idea.

"You feel that darkness in you, don't you?" he asked, worried the darkness would come for her if she didn't talk.

She looked away, frowning. "No... Adrian, maybe it won't..."

"Echo, look at me," he asked. She tensed, for two reasons. One, because she knew Adrian was serious and wouldn't take no for an answer. Two, because she remembered what usually came after those words when her father said them. She slowly turned her gaze back to meet his eyes, the pain in her own obvious. The pain in his eyes was obvious too. "You can't be lost... I don't think I'm... strong enough," he murmured.

"Adrian...I..." She bit her bottom lip. "I'm scared," Echo muttered, and then, in a louder voice, "I'm scared, okay? I'm scared to face it...what happened... I'm scared of him."

"You won't face him alone," he answered, keeping her in the hug. Part of him wanted to kiss her, but figured it would be too soon. Instead, he held her with all the strength he had. And she let him hold her, closing her eyes and allowing herself to absorb the strength of his embrace. She knew he was right, she knew she had to face this. That didn't make it any easier. "Ready?" he asked her after a very long moment.

She sighed against him. "Yeah...I guess...it's now or never..." she muttered.

"Then we'll call and let Sid and Mom... I mean Rachel... I mean... well, we'll talk to them, all right?"

"All right... And, Adrian, call her what you want... It won't change our relationship."

He flushed slightly, with a hint of a smile. "It's going to be hard to explain to the world how it all happened... But... I think we're strong enough..."

She managed a smirk. "You think? We are strong enough... Or, at least I am. Think you can keep up?"

"I can... and I will," he answered, standing and holding her hand. "Ready?"

She nodded and stood, taking the offered hand. And so, they walked back out to the common room and found themselves inundated by strong hugs and condolences. When that was over, Adrian took a deep breath. "We have another patient to get free of inner darkness..."

Echo sighed and looked away, obviously very uncomfortable. "Let's just...get this over with..." she muttered, frown set on her face.

"Okay, Echo... Just lie down on the couch... Adrian can stay with you if you'd like," Annie invited.

Echo nodded and sat down, quickly making herself comfortable. She pulled off her heavy boots and hat, and undid her hair from its tight French twist. It fell past her shoulders in black waves, and it was the first time Adrian had seen it down in a long time. Sighing again, Echo laid back against the pillows on the couch.

"Whoa," five girls said, clearly impressed.

"Echo, you look like a properly fed model," Annie said, eyes wide. "You're gorgeous..."

Echo blinked in surprise and blushed; it wasn't the first time she'd been told she was pretty, but it still embarrassed her. "Thanks... But I don't really care about my looks," she muttered. It was true, a reason why she didn't mind dressing in her uniform and hiding her beauty.

Jasmine and Mindy normally would've said something about that, but realized now was _definitely not_ the time for that. "Well, you are pretty," Blair said, "but let's work on what's inside... Right, Annie?"

"Right... you have to feel good on the inside before you really feel good on the outside... Just remember, Echo... all of us are your friends here. And whatever happened, we'll all help you and Adrian through it."

Echo nodded, closing her eyes. "I probably don't have to tell all of you what it's about... I'm sure by now you all know my father abused Adrian and myself, as well as my mother..."

They all nodded, sitting down on various places on chairs and the floor. "Of course, Echo, go on," Mindy answered calmly.

"Well, Father didn't adopt Adrian until I was eleven and a half. I was their only child up until then, but I might as well have been non-existent to my father. He never showed me any affection...and barely gave me a glance when we were all together for meals... I tried hard at everything I did, to try and impress him, to earn his love... I took piano lessons, karate lessons, tennis... Mom convinced him to hire tutors for me since I was always so busy. It was like this until I was eight... I think Father was frustrated because Mom wouldn't get pregnant again, and he was desperate for a son... He started getting angry, all the time. And since he didn't want to hurt my mother and risk lowering her chances of giving birth...he took out his frustration on me..."

Blair's face went white. "He... hurt you?"

Echo grimaced, face contorting with pain. She could still feel the harsh snap of a hand against her face. "Y-Yes... He'd slap me sometimes...using one excuse or another... Almost always when Mom wasn't around. But...he used insults a lot more..." She could remember those clearly, too. And the toll each one took on her psyche. "He said things like...how he'd rather nothing had been born instead of me... Or, how I could never amount to anything worthy of even working for his company, because I was just a dumb girl... Once, he...he even said if it wasn't for Mom...I'd have been dumped at an orphanage... Or even just on the streets..." Echo hated crying, but now she couldn't stop herself from doing so. Crying had always given her father a reason to hit and berate her, so she'd learned how to steel herself and stop. Echo had given up feeling all together, really, until Adrian showed up.

"Echo," Adrian moaned softly, lifting her into his arms gently. "How could he say that to you?" And Dr. Crowler, fighting tears himself, handed the young woman a box of Kleenex.

Echo gratefully accepted the tissue, dabbing at her eyes. "I...I don't know... But he did... And...if I told Mom...he'd just hit me more... Crying made it worse too... So...I just stopped. I stopped...feeling. You probably noticed...when we first met three years later," she muttered, sniffling.

He nodded. "You smiled a little, but you took a long time to really trust me..."

She sighed. "I admired you... I was in awe by how you got his attention so easily...how he loved you like he never loved me... He wasn't angry anymore, and he stopped hitting me. That was another reason I admired you... Your arrival stopped most of his abuse. Part of me wanted to learn how you did it and do it too… and part of me just wanted to help you reach a goal that was made out of my reach."

"He just managed to hide the bruises better on me," Adrian answered softly. "He got mad at me when I didn't learn something quick enough... It always happened after my boxing or tae kwon do lessons... or anything that left a bruise... And after a while... I stopped fighting him..."

Echo nodded. "I know...I realized that a little while before Mom found out she was pregnant again. Part of me felt guilty... As if you were taking the hits meant for me."

"I had three months before they found out... But I was glad to take those blows... if it meant you were okay..."

"Father still hit me sometimes...but it was a lot less... After I realized, I was there after his beatings to help you... And I just wanted to help you even more, instead of be like you. That's why...when Sid was born...I felt the same anger and jealousy you did..."

Adrian's eyes widened in shock. "I... didn't know... Did you think of... getting rid of him like I did?" He took a deep breath. "I won't think less of you if you did..."

Echo shook her head. "No, but I did think of helping you do it. Like I said...all I wanted to do was help you become the heir to the company..."

Adrian sighed. "I realized something being here, Echo... Gaining power that way wouldn't have been right. To sacrifice an innocent life just to further my own standing... The ends would never justify the means... and you would take the fall to protect me. And that still wouldn't be right."

"You're right... I think I already knew that...but I ignored it... Because I don't just admire you...I love you."

"I love you too, Echo," he answered, unable to conceal a most un-Adrian-like blush. "And feeling that way about you means I could never ever ask you to take the fall for me or make a sacrifice for me. I'd rather take the bullet."

"Well, hopefully it won't ever come to that, Adrian," Echo replied, smiling slightly at him.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," he answered, hugging her close. "Is there anything else that's hurting you?"

Echo shook her head again. "No. I think that's it. And I do feel better... Telling someone about how I've felt all these years..."

Adrian and all of the others were smiling now. "Let's... let's call... Rach... Mom... darn," Adrian groaned. "Well, let's call her and Sid... it's been a bit..."

"Good idea. We need to talk to them," Echo agreed, running a hand through her hair. That had to be the longest it was out of its French twist.

Chancellor Shepherd stepped forward. "We'll let you two have some privacy if you'd like..." Adrian looked at Echo, his eyebrows raised in a silent question.

Echo nodded. "I think that would be a good idea too..." And they made the call.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Back at the Gecko mansion, Rachel laid on the big bed in the room she'd once shared with Gilbert. Sid lay curled next to her. The county coroner had been quick and removed the body from the house. The police had also taken photos of the crime scene and their statements. "Sid," Rachel asked for the first time since the police had left, "angel, are you all right?"

Sid's eyes were red and puffy from crying, and he still shivered slightly every now and then. His eyes held a blank look to them, though, as one who was still going through shock usually did. He didn't answer, but nodded slightly so that his mother wouldn't worry too much.

She held him close to her, remembering when he was a baby and had cuddled to her like this. "It's okay, baby... it's okay... Mommy's here," she murmured. He clung to the front of her shirt, wishing everything had just been a big nightmare. Whenever he had nightmares his mother would hold him like this, so for the moment he could pretend it was. Burying his face against her, he tried not to think about his father's bloody corpse on the carpeted floor.

Rachel knew her son wasn't okay, and the truth was she wasn't any better. "Honey... we're... going to see a special doctor soon, okay?"

Sid finally managed to speak, his curiosity as a child getting the better of him. "What kind of doctor, Mommy?"

"A talking doctor, called a psychologist, and he'll help us talk out our feelings. And we're also going to talk to Rabbi Kleinman too..."

Sid liked Rabbi Kleinman; he was always nice to him at the synagogue. "Why...is he going to help us talk about our feelings, Mommy?"

"Yes, honey... It's good to have both a rabbi and a psychologist help us because it's not just our minds hurting... Our souls hurt too," she answered gently.

"So...him and Rabbi Kleinman are going to fix our boo-boos?" he asked.

"Yeah, sweetheart... They'll help us..." And then the home phone rang. Rachel answered. "H-Hello?"

"Mom? It's me, Echo..."

"Echo? Honey, are you all right?!"

"Y-Yeah, Mom... I'm here with Adrian. Do you mind if I put you on speaker?"

Rachel nodded and then remembered she wasn't on video phone with her older kids. "Of... of course, honey..."

"Hey, Mom... I mean, Rachel... I mean..." Adrian began, hating himself for not knowing what to call the woman who'd taken him in and treated him like a son.

But she stopped him. "Adrian, honey, what's wrong?"

"They... our friends know that I'm not really your son... and there's something else..."

In the strange tradition of seeming mother's telepathy, she asked, "Did you tell then how you feel about Echo?" On Adrian's end of the phone, his jaw dropped.

And Echo blushed, eyes widening in surprise. "M-Mom!! You knew?!" she stammered.

"Echo, I'm your mother. I know everything," Rachel countered with a brief return of joy in her spirit. Echo, Adrian and Sid were the bright spots in Rachel Gecko's universe and she knew that her daughter and the boy that should've been her son were crazy about each other.

Echo sighed, smiling wryly. "I guess I should have known... But yeah, Mom, we told each other how we feel," she admitted.

"And... you're okay with it?" Adrian stuttered. "I mean... the world thinks..."

"The world will know the truth soon enough, Adrian... and please d-don't blame yourselves for what happened. I should've confronted Gil years ago... but when you love someone, you don't always make the best of decisions..." Rachel's voice shook slightly as she spoke.

"Mom..." Echo groaned. "Don't blame yourself, either. Please... You loved Dad... So did I, no matter what he did..."

Adrian drew a breath too. "Me too," he admitted. "I mean... maybe... he just didn't think about how it was... Maybe he didn't really know..." It struck him how little he knew of Gilbert Gecko. He'd never know Grandpa or Grandma Gecko as they had died fairly young.

Rachel thought about it. "Maybe he didn't realize. I remember his grandparents differentiated between adopted kids and biological kids..."

Echo sighed. "Whatever the case...he treated Adrian and I equally, even if one of us was biological and the other adopted."

"That, honey, I don't understand... Remember Aunt Miriam? Your Bubby and Pop-Pop gave her and your father equal inheritance and she made a successful business in New York."

"I know... So he has no one to blame but himself for his behavior..."

"Ultimately, we're all accountable to the Ruler of the Universe for our own actions," Adrian answered in his philosophical mode. "I remember Rabbi Kleinman saying that when I converted, and when I had my bar mitzvah... He said that at your bat mitzvah, Echo..."

Echo nodded. "You're right, he did... Mom, are you and Sid going to talk to him about this?"

"That's the plan, honey... And the fact that Adrian was never formally adopted," Rachel sighed.

"Uh," Adrian began uncomfortably, but somehow, she knew.

"Sweetie, if you're comfortable calling me Rachel, you can do that, or you can call me Mom... whichever makes you feel better. As far as I'm concerned, whether by incomplete adoption or maybe by marriage later..." Blushes occurred on the other end of the phone... "You're as much my son as Sid is..."

Adrian smiled at that. "Thanks... Mom... Hey, is Sid there?"

"Adrian?" Sid asked, sitting up on the bed.

"Hey, kiddo...How are you doing?" the older boy asked gently.

"O-Okay... Do you...do you and Echo know about Daddy?" Sid questioned, frowning.

"Yeah, Sid... A really nice police officer told us..."

Sid hesitated, wanting to say something now that the pressure of keeping it in was no longer there. "A-Adrian...Echo..."

"What is it, kid?" Adrian asked, unconsciously gripping Echo's hand.

On the other end of the phone, Rachel murmured, "Sid, what's wrong, sweetheart?"

Sid looked down, frowning deeply. "I...I'm sorry Daddy hurt you," he muttered.

Echo gasped lightly. "Sid..."

"I saw it...sometimes... But...I didn't want to say anything... Because it was Daddy..."

Adrian's eyes widened in anger and horror. "You... you saw?"

Sid nodded, even if they couldn't see it. "Sometimes... He hurt you...more than big sister, but... Daddy hurt both of you...and called you names… sometimes..."

Rachel pulled her baby close to her. "Angel... you should've told Mommy..."

Sid continued to frown. "It was Daddy... Daddy would get into trouble... And Daddy would be mad... He might hurt you or big brother or sister more... I don't like seeing you hurt..."

Rachel cuddled him to her, hot tears running down her face. And then Adrian remembered something. "Sid? Do you remember two summers ago when you were really little and Echo and I went to be counselors at that summer camp?"

"Y-Yeah...I remember..."

"Do you remember what we did when you were having trouble getting to sleep because we weren't there to hug you and kiss you good night?"

Sid frowned; he couldn't remember too much that far back. "No... What did you do?" Echo smiled, knowing where Adrian was going with this.

"We hugged over the phone..."

Sid thought he remembered, but was still confused. "How did we do that?"

Adrian grinned, remembering the warmth he'd felt that time. "You remember how a good hug feels, right? Hug Mom, okay?"

"Okay." Sid hugged his mother, closing his eyes.

"Now imagine that Echo and I are right there with you and Mom, and we have our arms around both of you..."

"Okay..." Sid concentrated hard, picturing his big brother and sister sitting on the bed with them. He imagined their arms around him, and could almost feel it as if they were really there.

Rachel, too, could almost feel her older children's presence like it was a tangible thing. "I remember this," she smiled. "And you two are with us..."

Echo nodded. "We are...and always will be. We promise, Sid."

Sid smiled a little, feeling better. "Thanks, big brother, big sister. I love you."

"Love you too, kiddo... Love you, Mom," Adrian said gently.

"I love both of you so much," Rachel was just able to say.

"I love you too, mom, Sid... We're here for you, if either of you need us at anytime," Echo replied, smiling.

Rachel thought of something. "Maybe... we should come out to you two..."

"Mom?" Adrian asked.

"Would you mind if we came out to Duel Academy? I think Sid and I need to get away from the house..."

Echo looked over at Adrian. Normally, she'd say yes right away, but with what had been happening... "Mom... It's been dangerous lately here. I don't know if it would be safe for you guys right now..."

"Yeah... Mom, when this is over... and we think it's going to be soon... you can come out," Adrian agreed.

"You mean those disappearances?" the worried mother asked.

"Yeah... They're still happening. And even if it's not as much, it's still dangerous. So...when we've beaten this thing, we'll be glad to have you come here to Duel Academy," Echo added.

"Okay... please be careful, both of you... I came close to losing one of my babies today... I won't you two too..."

"We will be, Mom... I think we're safe," Echo stated calmly.

"Mom, you can be safe too," Adrian added. "Talk out what you're feeling. Don't let it be buried. That's why we called earlier... We had to hold back the darkness with light..."

Adrian explained all that had occurred and Rachel listened carefully. "...So you two both talked it out?"

"Yeah... And Mom, it felt...well, nice. Like I was getting something off my chest that had been pushing me down for a long, long time," Echo explained, smiling.

"Good... just remember..."

"We know, Mom... We'll be safe," Adrian said knowingly.

"And we will too. Right, Mommy?" Sid asked.

"Of course we will... We'll see you soon... Bye, kids..."

"Bye, Mom... Bye, Sid..."

"Bye, big brother. Bye, big sister."

"Bye guys..."

And the two teens hung up, Echo sighing. "At least they seem to be okay..."

"They will be... We just need to get this bad guy taken care of," Adrian soothed, hugging her to him, as he now knew was perfectly acceptable.

Echo leaned into the embrace, glad that now they could do this without any awkwardness. "You're right. If it's as cliché as most villains...it'll attack soon."

Adrian bent his head slowly. Sure, other girls had tried kissing him before, but he'd hoped someday he could kiss Echo. And now, he wanted to in order to help her feel better and only if she wanted to. "Echo... I want to kiss you... but only if you're ready..."

Echo flushed at his words, looking up to meet his eyes. Of course men had teased and flirted with her because of her looks, but she had only ever wanted to kiss Adrian. And now that wish was finally coming true. "Adrian...kiss me..."

And the young man gently touched his lips to hers. It was amazing... 'I'm actually kissing her,' he thought.

'I'm actually kissing him,' she thought. It started as a tingling sensation in her lips, and then sent a shiver of happiness and warmth through her body.

He felt the shiver through her and coming through him. It was sheer electricity. And then they broke apart. "That was.... wow," he said, having sudden difficulty forming words.

She blinked dazedly, her face still red. "It was...amazing..." she breathed, leaning into him again.

"Yeah," he murmured, holding her close. "I think we'd better head back out there..."

"Good idea," she muttered back.

After reassuring everyone that they were okay, Echo and Adrian walked outside for a few minutes. Jaden walked outside as well with Alexis at his side. The latter couple stayed on the Ra Yellow deck. "It's gonna happen soon," he remarked softly.

Alexis nodded, looking out across the grounds. "Now that we're all okay...they'll attack and try to make us weak again..."

"Yeah... you know, I thought the minute Adrian and Echo were all right was when they'd hit... Remember when Kagemaru attacked?" he asked, chuckling nervously.

She sweat-dropped. "Yeah...right when we thought we'd finished everything and Chazz tried that silly duel..."

"Yeah..." The Slifer couldn't help but laugh and then sigh. "At least we know why he did it... He didn't really want you as a girlfriend... I mean, maybe he did at the time..."

"He just misunderstood his feelings, that's all... He got the kind of love he wanted confused..."

"Yeah... And now, he has an awesome sister... and in a bit, two brothers... I won't mind waiting a little longer for us to get married..."

"Me neither... Right now, we need to get everyone back. And we've made a major step..."

"Yeah," he answered, putting his arm around her. "We'll make it, babe... like we always have. And Atticus is still helping with the rehearsal dinner... He's got something big planned."

Her eyebrow twitched. "That's...never a good thing..."

Reading her expression, he stated, "It's a luau theme... Nothing bad... He talked with this group of kids from Hawaii and found out all about luaus..."

She blinked in surprise and looked over at him, then grinned sheepishly. "I should have guessed it'd be something like that..."

"He said if he did the... Hugh Heffner theme? I still don't get that... Scout would kill him...." Jaden did indeed look puzzled at that.

Alexis got a mortified look on her face, eyes widening enough to practically fall out of their sockets. "He...he wanted to..." Multiple veins popped out on her forehead. "ATTICUS!!! HE IS SO LUCKY THAT HE'S INJURED!!"

"Lex? What's the big deal? And why won't anyone tell me what it means?!" he whined. Alexis, currently too angry to bother being subtle, pulled Jaden close and whispered an explanation into his ear. Jaden listened very carefully to her explanation. His face turned crimson and then turned very pale. "He wanted to... WHAT?!" he yelped in horror. "OH MAN!!"

"EXACTLY!! IF HE WASN'T INJURED, HE WOULD BE WHEN I GOT THROUGH WITH HIM!!!" Alexis yelled, fists clenched tightly; one could practically see the flames around her.

"Lex... calm down... I mean... this is Atticus," Jaden pointed out, still crimson. "I may not get it, but... it's him..." He needed to calm her down and didn't want her to go ballistic on her Obelisk brother.

Alexis ground her teeth together, trying to get a hold on her anger. "That's the problem...it's HIM. He's so immature!!"

"Babe... he'll grow out of it... I think," Jaden tried, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I mean... I think I've grown up..."

Alexis sighed. "You have, Jay... And I know Atty has, but sometimes he can still be so immature!"

Jaden thought about it for a long moment. "Maybe... maybe that's what helped him survive..."

Alexis looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"Lex, think about it... Maybe that part of him that kept happy kept him together when Nightshroud took him over. And that's what keeps him okay," the Slifer mused. "It's what kept me together..."

Alexis frowned, considering this as she looked back out at the lawn. "Hm…maybe you're right, Jay... I guess it's not so bad if he stays the way he is... But I wish he'd grow up just a little more..."

"He already is... Look at him with Jasmine..."

"He does seem more mature than he was before they got together... I think she's a good influence on him."

"Give 'em time, babe. She'll rub off on him like you did on me." He turned her gently to face him, kissing her gently on the lips. She returned the kiss, glad for it as she took his hand into hers. He was probably right; Atticus would grow up eventually.

_Gilbert Gecko is dead, and the gang has helped Echo deal with her own pain. And so the confrontation with Trueman is coming. Will our group be able to stand against him this time? Next time, stay tuned for "Jaden Versus Trueman, Darkness's Envoy!" Until then, please read and review! Thank you!_


	33. Jaden Versus Trueman, Darkness's Envoy!

Chapter XXXIII: Jaden Versus Trueman, Darkness's Envoy!

_Hello again, everyone! And welcome back to __**Darkness Falls!**__ It's been a strange ride so far, hasn't it? Things are not as they were. Anyway, thanks again, everyone for the reviews and for reading. We're always glad to hear from you. So onto the first battle!_

_Last time, Adrian and Echo confronted Gil Gecko and he reacted badly. He committed suicide by cop rather than face justice. Echo ended up needing to talk to the group about that and was able to confront her own pain. After this, the gang knew that a confrontation with Darkness or an envoy wasn't far behind. So what will happen now? Read on!_

_**Legal stuff: We don't own GX and we likely never will. We own our OCs, this storyline and this version of the Yugi-verse. Thank you!**_

_Authors' note: The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the Janime website and the Yu-Gi-Oh Wikia website for the duel information. _

A couple of hours passed and the group that remained of Duel Academy's student body prepared for the final battle they knew was coming. "Usagi, Angelic Guardian of the Moon... special ability... in exchange for 500 attack points can use a spell card without controller taking damage in life points. Rei, Guardian of Mars... Can destroy a trap card in exchange for 200 attack points," Annie muttered, examining her deck as the gang sat in the Ra common room.

Syrus, too, was examining his deck. He glanced over at his fiancée, smiling slightly. "Annie, remember when you dueled Zane?"

"Yeah... I won out of sheer luck," she sighed. "I can't risk that here..."

"Annie..." He placed a hand over hers. "Maybe you did get lucky with the cards. But you still could have won if you hadn't gotten lucky..."

She looked at his eyes. "You really think so?"

He nodded, eyes serious. "I know so. You have a good deck, and you're a good duelist, Annie."

"Thanks, honey," she smiled, kissing him. "I guess I should remember I do win in the exams..."

He grinned. "And you've won most of the fun duels, too."

"Yeah... I expected Jaden to kick my butt, though..."

"Well... Jay's a really hard duelist to beat. But he does lose sometimes."

"Yeah... But not very often," she countered, looking at her beloved seriously. "If you duel today... you'll win... But I think Jaden's going to duel."

He nodded again. "You're right... They're going to attack him...because he's their biggest threat right now... And if he loses and disappears...it'll be a hard blow to the rest of us..."

"We can't doubt him... and he's the best hope to get everyone back," she said. "And knowing that he's already faced Darkness in the form of Nightshroud... He's battle-hardened against it..."

"I'm guessing the actual Darkness won't attack yet, though... I bet he'll send that Trueman guy first..."

Annie got a thoughtful look on her face. "Yeah. It's the rules of the game. Always send your minions before you put yourself at risk..."

"Then...hey, maybe we should ask Tyson about his deck! He's the only one who dueled him and is still here," Syrus realized.

"Good idea!" she answered. "Honey, you're a genius!"

He blushed a little. "Thanks, Annie... Hey, Tyson!" Syrus called to the dino-boy across the room.

Tyson stood, also examining his deck. "What is it, Syrus?" he asked, coming over to the couple, a curious look on his face.

"Tyson... you're the only one who's dueled Trueman and not been taken... I know this is painful," Annie said, "but... could you tell us what it was like?" Tyson's tanned face went pale as he sat down.

"Take your time... And you can stop whenever you want to if it gets too hard..." Syrus said reassuringly.

Tyson nodded and told them all about it. "... I was overwhelmed... And I couldn't come up with somethin' quick enough... And then he psyched me out with that vision... And Rosa paid the price," he finished, a single tear coming down his face.

Syrus exchanged worried glances with Annie. What Tyson had told them was pretty scary; Trueman's deck sounded dangerous, especially with that Meteor Black Dragon. "Tyson...we'll get her back. And no one's going anywhere this time..."

The big Ra nodded, fire in his eyes. "No... And we're gonna get everybody back... The Sarge'll see to that!"

"Yeah!" Sy stated enthusiastically, clenching his small fists enthusiastically.

And just as everyone who had walked outside was coming back inside, the gang heard a commotion from the hallway leading to the bedrooms. "Bro, you're not strong enough and this isn't like sunburn! Ouch!" Chazz was saying as sternly as he could muster, wincing at his own injuries.

"I don't care! I can feel it coming and there's no way I'm gonna let you guys do this without me there to help!" Atticus countered in his serious, "I need to help because I'm the oldest" tone.

"Atticus, what in the world?!" Jasmine exclaimed, eyes wide, running up to her heavily bandaged and nightshirt-wearing boyfriend. "You should be in bed!"

Atticus was wearing socks, black sweatpants, and a gray nightshirt. The part of his arms, hands, and neck that were visible were heavily bandaged. "Jazzy...I want to be here for when it hits. I want to help and cheer whoever's going to duel on."

"And knowing our luck, it'll hit," Aster began. Abruptly the room darkened as if a dark cloud had come across the sun... "...Right about now," he finished drily, his blue eyes narrowing slightly.

Everyone looked at the suit-clad teen in shock and awe. "How did you do that?!" Jaden managed, getting his deck ready in his duel disk.

"Sheer luck," Aster concluded, actually sweat-dropping.

And then, the shadowy wind came, trailing the dark silhouettes of Duel Monsters cards with it. Gathering in one spot, it swirled around like a mini-tornado until a familiar figure appeared. With his appearance, the wind died, revealing that it was indeed Trueman, aka Mr. T. "You were expecting me?" he asked, reading their expressions. Of course Darkness had been spying on them the whole time.

"You might say that," Jaden answered, stepping forward, a very serious look on his face. "We want our friends back, and we want them back now."

Mr. T smirked. "Demands mean nothing. However...we could make a deal. If you have the guts, that is."

"And what kind of deal is that?" he asked. "You win, you get me and if I win, I get everyone back?"

The shadowy man laughed. "Now that sounds like uneven stakes, if you ask me. No, you won't get everyone back. However...if you defeat me, I will give one of your friends back." He held up a finger, eyes shifting onto Tyson from behind his sunglasses.

Tyson looked up at the evil man who had taken his love. "Rosa! What have you done to her? If you've hurt her..."

Mr. T chuckled again. "Relax. No one has hurt her. In fact, I haven't even touched her. She has remained in one place this entire time, sleeping..." Seeing their skeptical looks, he smirked. "Don't believe me? I can always show you. That's not a problem at all."

Tyson couldn't talk now as Jaden looked back at him. The Ra nodded and Jaden said, "Show us..." Annie gripped her fiancé's hand, anticipating... she didn't know what.

Syrus squeezed back, heart pounding. Trueman raised a hand, and a portion of the darkness above him parted like a gap in a fog bank. At first, the window appeared to be just shadow and nothing more, but then it slowly came into focus. And there, floating on a dark sea was Rosa. She did indeed appear to be sleeping, but it had been over two weeks since she had been taken. The toll of not eating had forced her body to burn up half of its muscle mass by this point, and she looked almost alien from the Rosa they all knew.

Instinctively, Axel and Jim moved next to Tyson and held him as he tried to lunge at Trueman. "YOU VARMINT! LET HER GO! SHE'S DYIN' IN THERE!!!"

Axel grunted, just managing to hold the younger man back. "Tyson... It's not... Urgh! Stand down!"

"Attacking him won't help, mate! Don't make me knock you out for your own safety!" Jim added seriously, knowing exactly which nerve to hit on the larger teen's neck.

Mr. T frowned. "It's her own fault. She's stubborn...and won't give in to her darkness. Almost all of the others taken around that time have."

"You convinced her she had darkness that was worth her being tortured for," Adrian countered. "She didn't have darkness, and you're a liar! We know what you told Tyson and it was a lie. And we've been cleared of our darkness..."

"We know that already. Darkness sees everything which is why for you we'll have to resort to dueling for your souls," Trueman replied, a duel disk appearing on his arm. "So...do you accept the stakes, Jaden Yuki?"

Jaden thought very quickly. "I want another person brought back too, for the sake of a friend of mine... This guy's name is Yusuke Fujiwara and he's been missing for four years... Put him on as someone who will be released and I'll agree to your terms."

Trueman sighed. "That would make the stakes unfair again. We can't have that... If you're adding Yusuke, then I'll have to ask you to add Atticus. If you lose, both of you come the World of Darkness." Atticus's eyes widened.

"I can't add Atticus," Jaden stated, his eyes pained. "That wouldn't be right. I don't offer up anybody but myself."

"Then I won't offer Yusuke," Trueman replied seriously.

Atticus frowned, making a decision of his own. He knew Jaden wouldn't put his, Atticus's, life on the line, but if the older young man offered himself, that was another thing entirely. "Jay...you have to. Yusuke's been gone for so long...this may be the only way to get him back... Please..." The Obelisk sent his soon-to-be brother-in-law a desperate look.

Jaden met his eyes. "All right," he said, "but only because you're saying it's okay, bro..."

"Bro!" Chazz shouted out. "Both of you! Slacker, save my brother!"

"Don't worry, bro. We'll be okay...Jay's not gonna lose this," Atticus stated reassuringly.

Trueman smirked. "We'll see about that. Then the stakes are set. If you win, you will get Rosa and Yusuke back. But if I win, both you and Atticus will be sent to the World of Darkness."

"Jaden, Atty, be careful!" Alexis called out worriedly, frowning. She couldn't stand losing both her brother and her fiancé at once.

And Jaden shot his fiancée his trademark grin and gave her a thumbs-up. "It's gonna be okay, babe! All right, Mr. T... let's get our game on!"

"DUEL!" The two activated their duel disks, drawing their five cards.

"You can go first," Mr. T stated confidently.

"All right!" Jaden looked over his hand. "I summon Elemental Hero Sparkman (1600/1400) in attack mode. And that'll do it for me!"

Trueman drew. "First, I'll summon Dark Archetype (1400/400). Then, I'll activate the spell card Power Gift. It allows me to increase your Sparkman's attack by the attack of a monster I discard from my hand. And I'll discard my Molten Zombie (1600/400)."

"Why would he want to increase Sparkman's attack power?" Annie wondered, trying to remember what Power Gift did.

"You'll find out soon enough," Mr. T answered. Sparkman's attack strength had soared to 3200. "Dark Archetype, attack his Sparkman!"

"But it'll be destroyed! It doesn't make sense," Syrus muttered, confused. Indeed, when the mutated creature attacked the hero, he was destroyed with a charged electric blast.

However, as Trueman's Life Points dropped to 2200, Sparkman imploded and was destroyed. "Power Gift's second effect: after the monster whose attack was raised battles, it is destroyed at the end of the damage step," Trueman smirked.

"Oh, no! Jaden, he can attack you directly!" Blair called out.

Meanwhile, Belowski was shivering next to Professor Sartyr. "Not good... I'm getting major bad vibes," he moaned softly.

"And he can use Dark Archetype's special ability," Annie gasped. "He can discard a monster and special summon a monster less than or equal to the battle damage he just suffered..."

"And that's 1800 points!" Mindy gasped.

Mr. T laughed. "It's nice that I won't have to explain all of that now. Activating Dark Archetype's effect, I'll discard Twinheaded Beast from my hand. Then, I'll summon Meteor Dragon (1800/2000) to the field!" The level five meteor with legs, wings, a head, and a tail appeared, roaring viciously at Jaden. "Attack him directly!" The dragon summoned a fireball and launched it at the Slifer.

The hot flames hit Jaden. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" he screamed as it hit and his life points dropped to 2200. "Dang it," he groaned.

"JADEN! Are you okay?!" Alexis yelled, eyes wide with fear for her fiancé.

"I'll set a card and end my turn," Trueman finished, smirking smugly.

Jaden shook his head like a dog shakes its head when it has water in its ears. "Yeah, I'm okay," he answered with a smile. "A little singed but okay... And it's my move..."

Annie's free hand automatically reached into her skirt pocket and fingered her rosary beads. 'Help us, Lord,' she prayed in her head.

And Jaden pulled a new card from his hand. "I sent Elemental Hero Bubbleman and Elemental Hero Clayman to the graveyard in order to use Polymerization to summon Elemental Hero Mudballman (1900/1300) in attack mode! Mudballman! Take down that Meteor Dragon!"

"GET 'EM SLACKER!" Chazz shouted. Mudballman shot out his attack, a giant mud ball, and it sped toward Meteor Dragon.

"You've triggered my trap! Draining Shield, protect my dragon and increase my Life Points!" Mr. T interrupted, a bright green shield appearing around Meteor Dragon.

The mud ball hit it, and his Life Points rose to 4100. "Come on, Jaden! You can beat him!" Jesse cheered.

Jaden looked back at his twin and nodded slightly. "Nice move, but I activate Fusion Shot, an equip spell! Here's how it works... I can equip this card to Elemental Hero Mudballman and remove from play one of the monsters that made him up as long as it has less than 1000 attack points. And then I can inflict the attack power of that monster to you as damage! And I choose Elemental Hero Clayman (800/2000)! So you lose 800 life points!" he concluded, grinning.

A blast of energy hit Mr. T, dropping his Life Points down to 3300. "Yeah! Go Jaden!" Syrus yelled, also grinning.

"GET' EM, SARGE!" Tyson shouted, feeling better than he had in two weeks.

"You got it, Tyson! Now, I'll lay one card facedown, and that'll do it for me!" Jaden finished.

Trueman drew, and the grin that appeared on his face was less than comforting. "You're not the only one who can fusion summon, Jaden. I know use the effect of King of the Swamp, substituting it for a fusion monster. By adding Polymerization, I can fuse it and Meteor Dragon to summon Meteor Black Dragon (3500/2000)! This monster marks your end!" Meteor Dragon was engulfed by flames, and in its place rose up a much larger version. It looked like a cross between its previous form and Red-Eyes, a level eight dragon even stronger than a Blue-Eyes White Dragon. It was the same monster that had defeated Tyson and sent Rosa to the World of Darkness with its flames.

Tyson's eyes widened. "No... you ain't winnin' this time! You ain't gonna win!"

"You're not winning against Jaden!" Belowski added. "Your karma's all wrong!"

Trueman only smirked. "Really? Meteor Black Dragon, destroy Mudballman!" The giant dragon gathered up flames in its jaws, then launched it at the hero.

Jaden stood tall, knowing that this was a hit that needed to happen. "AAARRGH!" he shouted as the fire hit him again.

"JADEN!" several voices screamed as his life points dropped to 600.

"SLACKER IF WE DIE, I'LL KILL YOU!" Chazz shouted, frustration and fear visible on his features.

Normally, Alexis would have stated that was impossible, but she was too busy worrying over Jaden. "Jay!! Are you all right?! You're not hurt, are you?!"

"I'll end my turn," Mr. T finished, grinning confidently.

Jaden shook momentarily from the impact. His head was down so that Trueman couldn't see his eyes. "You think you've got this in the bag, don't you? You don't... I'm about to win this thing, Trueman and free Rosa and Yusuke from the world of Darkness. You know why? Because I know my friends are there for me. And they're not just in this deck... They're the people around me. And I'm not going to let them down." And then he looked up, his eyes flashing with a fire and determination rarely seen. "I set one card and I end my turn."

"That's it? You're not going to win... My turn, draw." Trueman drew his card, but was interrupted by Jaden.

"Not so fast, because I play a trap!" the young man shouted, activating one of his face-downs. "A Hero Emerges! Since you're planning to attack you have to pick a card in my hand and if it's a monster, I get to summon it and if it's not a monster, I have to send it to the graveyard. So take your pick!" he grinned cheerfully.

"GO JADEN!" several voices shouted.

Mr. T frowned, but remained confident. "Fine! I choose...that one!" he answered, pointing.

Jaden smirked, relieved that luck was with him. "Sweet! And now I summon Elemental Hero Neos (2500/2000) to the field in attack mode! You don't want to mess with him! He's a marriage counselor!"

"Oh, great, he's going to do this forever now," Neos groaned as he came to the field, sweat-dropping.

Trueman blinked at the Slifer's statement, but shrugged it off with a grin. "He's still weaker than my dragon by a thousand points! Now, destroy that last hero and win me the duel, Meteor Black Dragon!" The dragon again summoned a fireball, preparing to attack.

"Shouldn't have done that! I activate the trap card, Soul Union! By removing Mudballman from play, I increase Neos' attack by 1900 points!" Neos' attack points jumped to 4400. "So now Neos is stronger than your dragon!" Neos hit the attack back at Meteor Black Dragon and the creature was destroyed with its own fireball.

"WHAT?!" Trueman gasped in shock as his Life Points abruptly fell to 2400. Looking over his hand, he realized that there was nothing to stop his imminent loss on Jaden's next turn. Eyes narrowing behind his sunglasses, he growled. "I...end my turn..."

Jaden didn't whoop. He wouldn't this time. "Okay, Neos, time to end this. Attack Trueman directly!" he commanded.

The attack hit, dropping Trueman's Life Points to zero. He frowned, brows furrowed. "You defeated me. I'll keep my end of the deal...but they won't be back for long. Darkness will make sure that all of you are sent to the World of Darkness..." With that said, Trueman vanished for the final time.

And in the World of Darkness, something in Yusuke Fujiwara lit, like a match to kindling. "I'm... going home," he said softly. Darkness hissed in anger, more at the fact Yusuke would leave than anything else.

"Go, Yusuke... And take the girl with you. But...I cannot have you warning them of my plans," Darkness growled, reaching out a bony hand. He silently cast an enchantment over Yusuke, so that when he returned to the real world, he would forget all that Darkness had informed him of.

And perhaps for Yusuke that was a blessing. He would forget the twisted dark universe he had existed in for 4 years and the pain and anguish he had felt, for deep within him, he had loathed the person he had to be in this world of Shadow. He felt his mind drift away, and then, he remembered nothing. He fell forward onto... something soft. But the world around him was warm. He heard a yell, and then all was dark and warm.

What had happened was actually quite simple. For a long moment, the group back in the real world had waited, not knowing how the others would appear. And then, Rosa and Yusuke had appeared in mid-air, above their heads. Tyson had ended up catching Rosa, and Atticus had dove for Yusuke without thinking. As such, when he caught the boy just as tall and heavy as him in his burned arms, he yelled in pain and fell on his butt. But he still held onto Yusuke, his friend, even if it stung.

"Rosa! Rosa!" Tyson called over and over again. "Darlin', speak to me!" She was breathing, but unconscious. Clearly her time in the World of Darkness had weakened her. Her usually muscular body was skin and bones, and her cheeks were sunken in.

Miss Fontaine ran, kneeling at the girl's side. "Tyson, lay her down... Don, get some hot chicken soup going... Annie, can you..?"

"I'm on it!" the dark-haired girl enthused, running straight to the unconscious young man in Atticus's arms. "Atticus, let me help you," she said quickly.

As Don left the room to go and get the soup, Atticus groaned. "O-Okay... Just...be careful," he muttered, staring down at Yusuke. He looked the same as Atticus remembered him, from the last time they'd met four years ago.

Annie helped him ease Yusuke to the ground. "This is Yusuke?" she asked, laying her fingers to his pulse, recognizing the steady rhythm of unconsciousness.

Atty nodded. "Yeah... I recognize him from what I remember... He hasn't changed at all..."

"Yusuke? Yusuke? Can you hear me?" Annie tried. "Wherever you were, you're safe and among friends..."

And then the periwinkle blue eyes fluttered open. "Huh?" the young man clad in the Obelisk/Horakhty dorm uniform asked, letting the room come into focus. He saw the dark-haired girl and... "A-Atticus?" he asked softly, trying to sit up but feeling the small pair of Annie's hands on his chest.

Atticus cracked a smile, even remembering that voice now that he'd finally heard it again. "Yusuke...y-yeah, it's me... You're back... But don't get up, okay?"

"Where am I?" the boy asked. "And... what happened to you?" And the last thing he remembered... Flashes of the arena... Atticus screaming... and then nothing. "Did you get hurt trying to stop me? Is everyone in the dorm all right?" And then he looked around. "This is Ra Yellow... What are we doing here?"

Atticus's eyes widened. It was obvious that Yusuke didn't remember anything from the World of Darkness. He had a lot to explain. "Yusuke, it's a long story... I'll explain it once everything has calmed down, okay? Just relax."

"Okay... how long have I been gone? And who's this?" he asked, glancing at the pretty Obelisk girl.

"The name's Annie Hanson," she stated calmly, checking him over, "and do you know what year this is?"

"2015," the chlorinated blonde young man stated confidently. He couldn't have been out that long.

She shook her head. "2019... A lot of time has passed, Yusuke... Let's get you to a room... And Atticus, you and Chazz are going right back to bed... Since Miss Fontaine's taking care of Rosa, I get to order you around," she smirked.

"Do not!" Chazz shouted from his position near a stunned but happy Jaden.

"She does," the nurse said sternly. "And Echo, feel free to help Annie enforce things..."

Echo nodded, grinning slightly. "Of course, Miss Fontaine. All right, boys. You heard the lady! Back to your beds!" she ordered.

Atticus sighed and sweat-dropped as he stood. "All right, all right..."

Chazz groaned. "Great... now I have to deal with Miss Military," he muttered, under his breath.

"What'd you say?" Adrian asked tightly, getting close. He had established himself as a formidable presence in the group and now used it for Echo's benefit.

"Nothing!" the raven-haired Slifer in pajamas yelped.

"Good..."

And without another word, Annie, assisted by Echo and Adrian, got Chazz and Atticus back to bed in Bastion's room. "Hmmm... One more cot ought to do it," the would-be teen doctor mused thoughtfully. "Atticus, if we can get another bed in here, would you like Yusuke to be in here too?"

Atticus nodded. "Yeah... I'm the only person here he knows, and I can start explaining what's happened all these years..."

"Yusuke, is that okay with you?" the teen girl asked kindly.

"Y-yeah... I would... Have I been wearing the same clothes for four years?" the blonde teen asked curiously as he sat down in a chair.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

The cot was moved in and Yusuke got on a pair of academy issued pajamas. He climbed into his cot, close to his friend's bed. "So what did I miss? And you didn't have a brother," Yusuke stated when Chazz introduced himself. Atticus chuckled, and so began to tell Yusuke what had occurred over the last four years.

As Atticus, Chazz and Yusuke were made comfortable and set up in the bedroom, Miss Fontaine had worked over Rosa and moved her to Tyson's room. Tyson had raced to Obelisk and back to get Rosa's favorite red nightgown. Miss Fontaine got it on the sick young woman and Rosa's fiancé couldn't help but notice just how loose it hung on her once-muscular yet very feminine frame. "Rosa... honey, c'mon and wake up," Fonda murmured after getting an IV of dextrose, a form of sugar, into the girl's bloodstream. "She should start coming around, Tyson..."

She moved away, allowing the young man to take Rosa's very thin hand in his. "Rosa... darlin'... Spanish Rose... please come back to me," he pleaded gently.

When Rosa had been brought out of the World of Darkness, her nightmare had ceased into comforting blackness. She had been floating, at ease, finally able to relax. And now, the words of her love drifted to her from the waking world. 'Tyson,' she thought, heart fluttering. How long had it been since she heard that voice speak so lovingly to her? After a few long moments, Rosa let out a weak groan and squeezed Tyson's hand ever-so-slightly.

"Darlin'? Miss Fontaine! She..!"

"Just go slowly, Rosa," the nurse said gently, moving to the sliding glass doors and closing the curtains so the girl wasn't blinded by sunlight. "Just take your time and when you can manage it, open your eyes. I know Tyson's been longing to see you..." Tyson stroked her hair lovingly meanwhile, just reveling in feeling her soft hair and skin again.

Rosa didn't make any more movements for a few minutes. And then, her lips parted, forming a single word that was too whispery to be fully audible. Rosa's eyes opened just slightly, focusing on the blurry crack of vision it created.

That single word was loud enough for the one young man who loved her most in this world. "Rosa... you're awake, and alive," he murmured, tears coming down his face and falling on hers like rain. "Thank You, Great General," he whispered. "Rosa... darlin'... you okay?"

Rosa's eyes opened more, about halfway, though her vision was still blurred since it hadn't been used in over two weeks. It was the same for her vocal cords; they, too, were rusty. Her hand lightly squeezed his again as she tried to answer, though all that came out was a dry squeak.

Miss Fontaine went and got a small glass of water and Tyson helped Rosa drink a little bit. "We're going to get some soup for you... I'll bet you're hungry, Spanish Rose..."

Rosa nodded weakly. She was indeed hungry, but it only felt like a dull ache in her abdomen. Finally, her eyes fully adjusted, and she recognized the room as a Ra one. Opening them fully, Rosa turned so that she could see the love of her life, and felt her heart ache as well. She would have cried with joy had her body not needed every ounce of water in her. But Rosa did manage a small smile, the best she could do to convey her happiness.

Professor Sartyr came with the soup a short time later. "Thank you, sir," Tyson said, helping his fiancée into a sitting position.

"You're welcome, Tyson. Go slowly...too fast and she will get sick," the teacher warned. By this point, Rosa's body had regained full function, though she was still weak.

"Yes, sir," the young man answered, blowing softly on a spoonful of the chicken broth. "Take a sip, darlin'," he murmured as the teachers left to check on the other patients.

She opened her mouth, allowing Tyson to feed her. Normally, she would refuse to do this, but at the moment all she cared about was eating. The first spoonful awakened her hunger, and she gladly ate the soup. Rosa was actually a little frustrated that Tyson was going so slowly. It was a natural problem with those who had food after starving for so long; they couldn't seem to get enough, and then they got sick.

After he got a few spoonfuls into her, Tyson stopped. "How does that feel, darlin'? Is it settlin' all right?" he asked in Spanish.

She sighed. "Yes...but I'm starving... Tyson...can't you go faster?" she answered, frowning.

"No... I can't go any faster... You don't want to get sick, Rosa... And refeedin' sickness happens..." He brushed her cheek as he got another spoon of soup. "You need to just eat slow..."

Rosa sighed again. Of course she knew he was right; it was her body speaking when she asked that. "I know... I'm just...so hungry, Ty-Ty..."

"I know, darlin'... you've been gone for so long... I was scared I was gonna lose you..."

She reached over, placing a small, thin hand on his muscled arm. "I'm sorry, Tyson... I...I wanted to protect you... You saved me...so many times... I wanted to do the same."

He set the bowl and spoon on the nightstand and pulled her thin body into his strong arms. "I know... I know," he murmured.

"You... you did... Just don't do it again..."

She leaned against him, though it felt more like a pillow than a person because of her weight. "I won't... Hopefully, I won't have to... But Tyson..."

"What is it?" he asked softly, rocking her in his arms.

"...What about the others?" she asked softly. "Were...were any of them...attacked?"

He climbed onto the bed to sit with her, and told her of the other disappearances, and then of course of the group figuring out how to stop the Darkness. And he told of Jaden's triumph. "...So that's where we are now..."

She was frowning when he'd finished. "So then...a lot of people are gone... I wish I could help...but I can't remember anything..."

"It's all right... Just concentrate on gettin' better," he murmured, cuddling her. She sighed, loving the feeling of his strong arms around her again. But then, her stomach rumbled demandingly, reminding the couple of what they had previously been doing. "Let's get some grub in you. And if you keep this down, I think the professor can make you something special when Miss Fontaine says it's all right," Tyson promised.

Rosa nodded. "All right... And Tyson?"

"Yeah?" he asked, spooning up more soup.

She smiled. "I love you..."

"Oh, darlin'... I love you so much," he smiled back, getting her to eat a little more.

_Two students lost have returned, and Jaden has made the next step to restoring the missing people to the world. Next time, a lull in the action as the group prepares for the final battle. So please join us for "Eve of Destiny!" So until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	34. Eve of Destiny

Chapter XXXIV: Eve of Destiny

_Hello again, dear readers and welcome back to __**Darkness Falls.**__ Now you're probably expecting that this story will end soon. Well, due to the way things have flowed, we may have "Dawn Breaks" become a chapter title, not the continuation of this story. Let us know what you think about that, everyone. Now, as to the question raised by Fantasy Lover, Jaden did give Alexis an engagement ring off-screen. It's just really simple. And so, onto the story!_

_Last time, Jaden dueled Trueman in order to save Rosa and Yusuke Fujiwara. Jaden succeeded, and Rosa and Yusuke returned to this world. Yusuke had no memory of his time as Darkness's apprentice and Rosa was terribly thin, as captivity had caused her body to turn in on itself. So what comes now, when two have returned and Darkness knows there is a possibility of defeat? Read on!_

_**(Peach and Ani check with the legal department… Again…) No, we don't own GX. We never did. We've established what we already own. Thanks.**_

_Authors' notes and warnings: Mushy moments, a possibly traumatizing view of the World of Darkness, and the Duel Academy teachers and students in the shower. We promise we weren't too descriptive so you won't have nightmares of a naked Vellian Crowler. This chapter also attempts to answer the question of why Professor Banner sent the students into the abandoned dorms, now referred to in this fiction series as the Horakhty dorms, where they disappeared. Thank you!_

Meanwhile, as Tyson fed Rosa, and the burn victims and Yusuke rested, a small celebration was happening. "JADEN YOU DID IT!" Aster Phoenix whooped, clapping Jaden on the back in an uncharacteristic display of joy. "That's two back!"

"Yeah... two of 'em," Jaden answered, still looking stunned.

Alexis hugged him tightly, ecstatic at this turn of events. "You beat him, Jaden... You beat him and not only got Rosa back, but even Yusuke... Atticus and Tyson are so happy." Her eyes were shining with hope for the future, knowing that somehow everything would turn out all right.

"Babe... wow," Jaden murmured, his brown eyes meeting her lighter ones. Aster, along with the others, wisely vacated the room to give the joyous couple some privacy. And Jaden kissed his fiancée in triumph. Alexis gladly kissed back, the kiss fueled with passion and her happiness. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. He kissed back, just as passionately. And then, when they broke apart, his face was serious. "This isn't over..."

She sighed. "You're right... There's still the main guy himself, of course..."

"Yeah... It's not over until everybody's home and safe, Lex..."

"We'll have at least a day, I'm guessing. Before he attacks," she mused.

"Yeah... I think Rosa needs it... and maybe Yusuke will remember something," he mused, still holding her. "Or Rosa... she's so thin..." He shivered slightly, thinking of all the people trapped in the twilight world. How many of them, he wondered, were worse off than Rosa? How would they be when they returned?

The blonde young woman frowned. "She's even thinner than Annie when she was going through that eating problem... And it's even weirder seeing Rosa that way..."

"Yeah... well, we'll take the time and get her better... Oh, man... If the darkness did that to Rosa... what's happening to everybody else?!" He had to voice his fear.

This time it was her turn to shiver. "I don't know...we'll probably find out when he attacks..."

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A few hours passed, and the natural sunlight gave way to sunset and then to a clear, starry night. Pharaoh the cat padded into Jaden's temporary Ra quarters, wiggled his ample kitty cat behind, and jumped onto the bed. "Hey, Pharaoh," Jaden greeted as Alexis returned from the bathroom. "You want to sleep with us tonight?" he asked.

The large cat meowed in answer, curling up at the foot of the bed comfortably. Alexis chuckled as she climbed in beside Jaden. "I think that's a yes, Jay..."

"Okay... Lex... maybe if he wants to... and it's okay... would you mind if Pharaoh went with us when we leave the academy?" the brown-haired Slifer asked his love.

She looked over at him in surprise. "You mean...come to live with us?"

"Yeah," Jaden answered, reaching to scratch behind the cat's ears. "I have this feeling... like he's supposed to go with me... with us..."

Alexis smiled, running a hand along Pharaoh's side. "Sure. I don't mind having him around... It'll be nice."

Pharaoh meowed contentedly. "Okay... Pharaoh, I'll clean your litter box and everything," Jaden promised.

Alexis couldn't help but laugh again at that. "And I'll make sure you stay well fed."

"Think you'll like that, Pharaoh?" Jaden asked the big cat. Pharaoh meowed, liking that very much.

"Well, how about now we get some sleep? We're still at Duel Academy, if you remember," Alexis murmured, stifling a yawn.

Jaden nodded. "Yeah... tomorrow's gonna be a long day... But we're going to save everybody... And tomorrow night, Bastion and Violet will be back, and Marcel... and everybody who's disappeared. Kisara will have Noah and Rini back and Bakura and Amane will have Alex... Joey and Mai will have Angela back... And Yugi and Teá will have Lil back... Those kids had better be okay..."

Alexis sighed. "We won't know for sure until they get back... Hopefully none of them are as bad as Rosa..." Jaden nodded again, choosing to cuddle close to his love, enjoying the peace before the storm hit.

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As the residents of Ra Yellow drifted off to sleep, millions, no billions of people drifted in an endless sea. Each was locked in their own personal hell, doomed to see things that made them feel guilty for all eternity, unless they were freed. They were floating in the ether, some twitching as they fought their horrid visions. Children saw their parents, friends or family twisted into grim phantoms or saw bleak futures.

It was the same for three Duel Academy students. One, a tiny Ra who had grown even smaller during his time there, was forced to relive his parents fighting and leaving. Over and over again, gradually being forced to succumb to the idea that it was his fault it happened. 'No, Maman, Papa… I didn't mean it! I didn't mean to make you hate each other!' Marcel Bonaparte cried out in his head. But while his actual parents would've tried to reassure him that it wasn't his fault, the distorted phantoms of his mind and Darkness's imagery continued to torment him.

And a young man with dark hair twitched in the ether as memories of failure to protect the woman he loved, and watching her die over and over again. And he watched as he repeatedly had to kill, even though he had known he had no choice in the matter. 'Violet,' he mentally cried out. 'I love you... forgive me...'

Violet was closer than Bastion, though; in fact, she floated next to him, just far enough so that his hand was out-of-reach. 'Bastion,' she called back. 'I love you... don't leave...' Unlike her fiancé, she was forced to go through various scenes where her friends abandoned or berated her. And she had to go through even more nightmares of the man she loved saying he didn't love her, or transforming into a Mike-like monster of his former self. Perhaps if they'd been able to touch, it would have alleviated some of the torture. But alas, they drifted so closely, and yet so far apart, surrounded by a multitude of others just like them.

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When dawn came to Duel Academy, Jaden Kiyo Yuki, for once, was up with the sun. Alexis still slept in the big bed, and so the young man got out and headed to the sliding glass door. He opened the door and stood out on the small deck alone. The calm cool breeze ruffled his brown and red hair, but it did little to alleviate his inner tension. So much rode on his next duel, and it frightened him a bit. And so he stood, looking out at the green grass, dirt paths, the tall trees and the sapphire ocean.

Pharaoh, smelling the morning breeze, woke up, stretched and lightly jumped off the bed. The large cat padded to the open door and sat next to the human. He meowed, allowing a familiar golden orb to escape from his mouth. Jaden noticed the orb, as he had the past two years. "Hey, Professor Banner," he greeted softly.

The orb floated around the Slifer for a moment, before coming to rest near the teen's shoulder. "Hello, Jaden. You're up early," Professor Banner's voice greeted.

"Yeah... it's a big day, Professor Banner... I have to be up to this... Or... so many people," the young man groaned softly, feeling the heavy weight upon him become even heavier.

The orb projected the familiar ghost of the deceased professor, and he smiled, sensing his student's tension. "Jaden, you have done so well all this time. This is your last challenge... And you will win and save everyone. I know it."

Jaden managed a smile. "Professor Banner, thanks...But... can I ask you a question?"

The spirit nodded. "Of course, Jaden."

"Why did you send Atticus to the Horakhty dorm?"

Professor Banner frowned slightly, turning his gaze out towards the rising sun. It even glinted off of his ethereal spectacles. "You mean when I asked those students to come for a special test?"

Jaden nodded, meeting Banner's gaze squarely. For some odd reason, the young man had to know the truth, just in case the worst occurred. "Yeah... I just want to know why, is all..."

The instructor sighed, and took what in life would've been a deep breath. "Jaden...do you know why Atticus had half of the shadow charm, as you did?"

"Not really... Yasmine gave it to him... I think," the boy remembered, referring to the Gravekeeper Chief's pretty daughter in the strange pseudo-Egyptian dimension.

Banner nodded. "Yes, she did. Jaden, the reason why he had it, is because he was the one meant to defeat the Shadow Riders and Kagemaru. He would have been in your place...had I not interfered."

"Why did you?" Jaden had long ago forgiven Professor Banner. Now he just needed answers, if they were there.

The teacher chuckled softly, and then smiled bitterly at the Slifer. "Pure selfishness on my part. Of course Kagemaru requested it, but I followed through with it..."

"You were trying to save yourself... Professor, I understand wanting to live... But wasn't there any other way?"

Banner looked back out at the sky, sighing. "Sometimes I ask myself that same question, Jaden. I will never know for certain... But at the time, all I had to go by was my own experimentation and research."

"So...what did Kagemaru ask you to do? And what did you get in exchange?" the student asked.

"He asked me to gather a group of students in the basement of the Horakhty dorm. He would handle the rest... He also asked me to include Atticus, since he would be the biggest threat to his plans. In exchange...he promised to continue funding my research."

"And that bought you some time," Jaden stated, somewhat understanding his teacher's desperation.

"Hm…did it?" Banner mused, looking at his see-through hand. "I still wonder...if I made the right decision... Perhaps that is why I'm still here..."

Jaden reached out and placed his hand over the ghostly one as best he could. "Maybe you're still here because I still need guidance. That's what Annie thinks. She said you're like Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. And she says he didn't move on until Luke Skywalker was really ready for him to. So maybe you're here for a good reason..."

The ghost looked at Jaden in surprise, but then smiled. "And maybe you're right, Jaden... Whatever the reason, though, I am still here. And I will help you as much as I can..."

"You already are, sir... And you did the first day I was in class. You believed in me..."

It was one of those moments that any good teacher lives for; to know that one made that much of a difference in a student's life. Professor Banner's smile broadened happily. "Of course I did, Jaden. I knew you would do great things."

"Thanks, Professor," Jaden answered. "Just stay close today... I need everybody behind me..."

"Don't worry, Jaden. I will. Right, Pharaoh? You'll stay close to Jaden, yes?" Banner asked, turning back into an orb. Pharaoh meowed, inclining his big, fluffy head, and opened his mouth to capture the big shiny orb.

"Yeah, I know you'll stay close, Pharaoh," Jaden smiled, reaching down to scratch the cat behind the ears. But the cat had other plans and rolled onto his back so the Slifer could rub his big, furry belly.

"Jaden?" asked a voice groggily from the doorway, followed by a yawn. Alexis stood in the sliding door's frame, her pretty figure encased in a long pale pink nightgown that came to her knees and had spaghetti straps. Her hair was slightly disheveled from lying on the pillow, but she still presented a pretty picture.

The young man looked up from where he was now kneeling, rubbing the cat's belly. "Morning, babe... did I wake you?" he asked, getting up to hug her close.

"No... I woke up myself and was wondering where you were... Usually I'm the first one up," she answered, smiling slightly.

"I had some stuff on my mind... And I had a chat with Professor Banner... Everyone's coming home today," he stated gently. Somehow, he had a feeling that he could not fail. That emotion warmed him as the rays of the rising sun warmed him.

"Yeah...you're going to beat whatever this is, Jay... I know you will."

He kept her tight against him for a long moment. "Yeah... I've got everybody... Hey, Yubel?" he called out.

The duel spirit appeared beside them. "Yes, Jaden?"

"I have a feeling you're not going to be benched today... Be ready for anything... And remember what we promised a long time ago," he smiled, softness coming into his eyes. The promise to love and care for each other hadn't changed and never would. "I'm always gonna watch your back..."

"And I'll always love and protect you, Jaden," Yubel answered softly, hugging the young man and his fiancée. Jaden grinned, feeling his spirit friend and the woman he loved surrounding him. And it was at that moment he knew for sure that he would not fail.

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About half an hour later, the girls headed to the spacious Ra group showers and got ready for the day. "Did everybody sleep okay?" Blair asked, scrubbing her long, raven locks.

Alexis sighed, letting the warm water wash over her. "Jay and I slept okay."

"So did I," Echo added; it was the first time they had seen her without make-up.

Miss Fontaine smiled, also letting the water rush over her slim body. "Me too... I caught some catnaps, watching Rosa... She's doing better this morning, by the way, girls. She'll need a couple of weeks to gain back the weight she's lost and to get her muscle back, but she's going to be fine."

"Oh, thank God," Annie murmured. She had slept, but somewhat fitfully in her fiancé's arms. Her dreams had been troubled by images of her still-missing friends drifting on a seemingly endless sea, twitching in pain. She closed her eyes as the water raced down her figure, trying to block the worst of the dreams.

"Annie?" Alexis asked, breaking through her concentration in a worried tone.

"Huh?" the dark-haired girl asked, opening her eyes. "What is it, Alexis?"

"Are you okay?" the blonde inquired as she washed the shampoo out of her hair.

"Uh... yeah...Just... had rough dreams last night... I didn't kick Sy out of bed, though I think I did wake him up," Annie sighed, wishing that she didn't flail when she had troubling dreams.

"Rough dreams? It wasn't a nightmare, was it?" Echo asked, remembering what the group had told her about their dreams before Trueman had taken them.

"I don't know... It felt... different... like I was seeing something... real," Annie explained, shivering despite the warm water running down her form to the cream and yellow tiles on the floor.

"What was it?" Mindy asked, rinsing out the conditioner from her hair.

The blue-eyed, dark-haired teen girl tried to collect her thoughts, forcing herself to recall exactly what she'd seen. "I saw... Violet, Bastion, Marcel... the Kaiba twins... and a lot of other people drifting somewhere..."

"Drifting...? Isn't that what Rosa was doing when Trueman showed us where she was?" Alexis asked, remembering.

All of them nodded. "Annie... honey, you saw where they were," Miss Fontaine realized. "What did they look like?"

When Annie spoke again, it unnerved the group. "We need to set up medical quarters... It's going to be rough for some of the people..." She'd seen her fellow students, people she didn't know, and people she recognized looking like shadows of their former selves. She knew that things might be very bad and that Duel Academy must be prepared to help the weakened victims.

"But we don't know for sure where they're going to appear. Maybe...only the students will reappear back here on the island," Echo stated musingly.

"Whatever the scenario... we're going to be ready," Miss Fontaine answered. "I may need a lot of help, or it may not be needed, but whatever... be ready, all of you."

"I can help with blankets and stuff," Blair volunteered eagerly, turning off the faucet in front of her.

"I know a little first-aid...and I can help get things too," Alexis added.

"I know first-aid and have some extensive medical knowledge," Echo stated.

"Us, too!" Mindy and Jasmine added together. The girls finished their showers and went to get dressed. And then it was the boys' and male teachers' turns for the showers.

"Okay, so who goes first?" Professor Viper wondered. "Since we have to go in shifts..."

"Uh... should we duel?" Jaden asked curiously.

"Well, uh...what if the teachers go first, and then the students?" Syrus offered.

All six male instructors looked at each other. "Syrus, that's a good idea," Dr. Crowler praised, clad in his favorite blue bathrobe. "We don't have to duel every time we have to do something..."

"Don't tell me you guys do that," Yusuke muttered, picturing duels every time someone moved.

"Do we?" Jaden wondered, laughing.

"Well, what's so bad about that? Duelin's great!" Jesse countered, grinning eagerly.

"Uh... Jesse... we're just choosing who takes showers first," Adrian explained with saintly patience, while Axel face-palmed.

Jesse pouted. "But duelin's more fun than doin' rock, paper, scissors or somethin' to decide. Ain't it, Jay?"

"Yeah, it is!" Jaden grinned, "But... since Darkness might attack us soon... I don't think we should take the time..."

Aster grinned, catching the humor in what his friend and rival had said. "You think? Okay, so... All in favor of Sy's suggestion, say, Duel!"

"Duel!" everyone shouted.

And so the teachers headed into the showers first. "That boy is our best hope," Jean-Louis said softly as he scrubbed himself down. The past few days had clearly taken their toll on the rotund professor. He looked like he'd aged nearly 100 years in that short time.

"Jaden will win, and he will save us all," Vellian stated and then shivered. "I still can't believe I'm saying that..."

"Oh, come now, Vellian, I think you knew long ago Jaden would do far better than you thought the day you met him," Andrew Shepherd smirked, carefully cleaning his mustache.

"Yes, you simply did not want to admit it. You were known to favor the Obelisks, after all. And Jaden has always been a Slifer," Don Sartyr added with a grin as he washed his graying hair.

Stein smirked as he cleaned himself, his vision slightly blurred without his glasses. "Hmph. You can't very well blame him. Slifers were often at the bottom for good reason." There was still some elitism within the normally bespectacled instructor, though he knew the truth of the Slifer boys' worth.

"We underestimated those boys, Ben," Vellian countered, surprising himself. "Look at Syrus Truesdale and Chumley Huffington. They just needed their confidence built up..."

"I suppose you're right. We both owe them for changing us for the better, don't we?"

"Definitely," Vellian answered.

Professor Viper nodded thoughtfully. "If not for those kids, I don't know where I'd be right now..." He often wondered how his plan with Yubel would have turned out had Jaden and his friends gotten back to school as scheduled. Perhaps, he reflected, it was a good thing he didn't know and would never know.

"They managed to help all of us, even while they were busy fighting evil constantly. It's amazing," Don stated, smiling.

Andrew grinned, his eyes dancing joyfully. "And they helped each other. And now, they're going to save the world... Jean-Louis... you're going to have Marcel safe with you in a very short time..."

"I hope so," Jean-Louis murmured again.

Next, the boys headed in to take their showers. Belowski looked a little nervous. "Uh... so... everybody's like in here?" he asked curiously as he'd never had a group shower before. He was also smaller than most of the boys, and was self-conscious.

"Oh yeah, you've never done this before, Belowski. It's just like taking a shower by yourself...then just add other people," Syrus tried to explain, remembering how he'd felt the first time in Domino High's boys' locker room.

"If it makes you feel more comfortable, mate, pretend you're alone," Jim added, grinning.

"But I'm not alone," Belowski answered, still a little nervous.

"Dude, it's cool," Aster soothed. "Just… don't worry about it. We're all guys and we're all talking about stuff. And NO TOWEL SNAPPING!" he yelled at Jaden and Jesse who had suddenly decided to horse around.

Jesse pouted again, exchanging glances with his twin. "Aw, Jay, we got caught before we could even do anything."

Jaden, frozen in a pose indicating he was clearly about to get his Southern counterpart, grinned sheepishly. "Yeah... How'd you know, Aster?"

"This is the second year I had to deal with you snapping towels, Jaden, and then you came, Jesse," the platinum blonde blue-eyed teen answered clearly.

Jesse's pout turned into a broad, proud grin. "I was the towel snappin' champ back at North Academy! You can ask Chazz!"

Syrus sweat-dropped. "It's probably a good thing he's not here right now..."

"Yeah... it probably didn't help that I did that here all the time," Jaden grinned sheepishly as the guys turned on the water. "Chazz avoided the group showers here when he could our first year or got in and got out really quick..."

"Atticus wasn't much better... I'm really glad he's not here right now," Syrus reminded his best friend, grimacing at the thought. The Obelisk had a very good technique that would make it sting for a while.

Belowski, fortunately, had read up on towel snapping. "Ouch, dudes... peace in the bathroom..."

Yusuke had been pretty quiet in the bathroom as he disrobed, but now spoke up. "This is my first shower in... four years," he said, stunned.

"You don't remember anything at all from your time in that world, mate?" Jim asked.

Yusuke shook his head. The spell Darkness had cast was very strong. "It's a blank...and maybe that's a good thing... I'm not sure I want to remember..." He shivered a little in the warm water now running down his back.

"But...that's four whole years..." Syrus said, frowning.

"Yeah... maybe I'll remember some good things...I'm glad I remember your brother, Syrus," Yusuke said. "And I remember him talking about you..."

Syrus looked at the taller boy in obvious surprise. "He talked about me??"

"Yeah... He had pictures of you two up in his room... And he told me all about his little brother who wanted to be a duelist." The older guy grinned at the memory. And then he caught Sy's expression. "He didn't tell you?"

Syrus frowned, looking down. "No... He wasn't like that around me..." He explained how Zane had treated him mostly in the first year, before he had opened up and proved he really did care about his little brother.

Yusuke remembered that. "He was almost as closed off as I was..." And a memory came to him from the time with Darkness.

_"I wanted to forget that world," he said to his dark master._

_"Nothing is stopping you from doing so, Yusuke, but yourself. Now that you have left it, it is only your will to remember that stops you from forgetting," Darkness had explained patiently. Though the creature was considered evil and had dark intentions, it was actually quite wise and simply going about things the wrong way. _

_"I cast that spell... and now, he forgot me... they're all forgetting me..."_

_"Just as you wished, Yusuke. Besides, they would have forgotten you eventually."_

_"They would have," the past Yusuke said bitterly_.

In the present, he moaned softly. "I remember something."

Axel tensed in his shower stall. "What was it?"

Yusuke took a deep breath, paling a bit. "I wanted to forget because of my parents... For a long time, I thought they'd forgotten me but they were dead..."

"Honest told us about that," Jesse piped up, remembering the angel monster's explanation.

"Yeah, he said you did what you did because you didn't want to hurt anymore," Jaden added. "He didn't know what happened to you and thought you died. But then he said he could sense you so he knew you weren't gone!"

Yusuke began to smile. "Figures he'd have done that. He promised to protect me..."

"Like a guardian angel?" Jesse asked, grinning at his joke.

Yusuke laughed, really laughed for the first time in four years. "Yup!" The gang of boys all laughed and finished their showers.

"Now that we're clean, hopefully Darkness will wait until we've had breakfast!" Jaden stated, now clad in his clean uniform.

"Well, it hasn't attacked us yet. I'd say that's a good sign it plans to wait," Jim replied, Shirley back by his side.

"Good..."

And just before breakfast was ready, Jaden quietly headed down the hall to Tyson and Rosa's room. "I figured you'd be here, Jaden," Miss Fontaine smiled, standing at the door. "You can come in for a few minutes..."

"Thanks, Miss Fontaine," he answered. The room was curtained so the occupants who needed to sleep could.

"Mornin', Sarge," Tyson greeted. "Rosa... darlin', look who's here," he said, helping her sit up.

Rosa was still weak, but she could do everything that one could while on bed rest. However, she still looked as thin as when she'd first reappeared. "Jaden... It's nice to see you again," she greeted, smiling. Though it had only been a little over two weeks, to Rosa it had felt like an eternity.

"Good to see you too... We all missed you, Rosa," he answered softly, coming over to sit where he could take her hand. "Tyson missed you most of all..."

Her smile grew a little as she sent a loving look at her fiancé. "I know... I wish I could say that I missed all of you, but I'm not sure if I had a chance to..."

"It's all right... You just concentrate on feeling better... And Tyson, you stay here with her..."

"Sarge?" the big Ra asked, eyebrows raising. He wanted to be with Jaden, but something told him his friend was about to ask him to stay put.

"This is still the field of battle, and your place is here with Rosa. I'm going to get our friends and the whole world back." Jaden's eyes were very serious.

Rosa frowned, knowing that Tyson wanted to be there to cheer Jaden on. "Jaden, it's all right if he goes to help..."

"No... he's already right with me," the Slifer answered calmly.

Tyson understood. "I ain't breakin' orders, Sarge. Rosa, darlin', it's okay... I need to stay with you... 'Sides, he's right. This is still the battlefield..."

Rosa looked from Tyson to Jaden, then sighed. "Los ninos son tan confuso," she muttered, frowning. What she'd said was Spanish for, "Boys are so confusing".

Tyson's eyes widened. And so did Jaden's. "Uh... why?" the Slifer wondered.

"'Cause she told me it was okay to go, but I ain't goin' 'cause you said I need to stay here. Right, darlin'?"

The Spanish girl nodded once. "And you say women are hard to understand. Hmph..."

"Well... it's only on stuff guys really can't understand, like... why you want to wear shoes that hurt," Jaden said, rubbing the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly.

She raised an eyebrow. "The same reason we wear make-up. To look beautiful. Why do you men always have to prove that you're better than each other?"

They looked at each other. "She has a point," Jaden stated.

"Yeah... she's right. But still... I think I prefer arm wrestlin' to high heels..."

"As do I. But that's enough talk. Jaden, go and get our friends and everyone else back," Rosa stated seriously.

"You got it!" the boy grinned, getting up and giving her his signature triumphant pose.

"Go get 'em, Sarge!" Tyson whooped as Jaden headed out and Miss Fontaine came in with a bowl of oatmeal. "Okay, Rosa, time for breakfast..."

"Great. I'm still starving." The young man fed his future bride the oatmeal, and prayed mentally that his leader, his friend, would be given the strength to save the world again.

_And after this brief interlude, Jaden is about to face his toughest duel ever. So next time, join us for "Jaden Versus Darkness: Death Shall Have No Dominion!" So until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	35. Jaden Versus Darkness Death Shall Have

Chapter XXXV: Jaden Versus Darkness: Death Shall Have No Dominion!

_Hello again, everyone and welcome back to __**Darkness Falls!**__ We're glad to see you're all still interested in this story, even though the length is changing. It's still going to be a bumpy ride, but we hope it'll still hold your interest. Thank you so much, everyone who's been reviewing and we're glad to see RGZ Archer return to the review board. So anyway, let's get on with the really big show!_

_**Aster Phoenix steps onto the stage, hearing numerous fan girls squeal.**__ Hi, everyone. Peach and Ani, for some reason, asked me to do the recap and disclaimer. So last time, we actually had a moment of peace before everything went nuts again. Rosa was recovering and Jaden talked to Professor Banner about why he actually lured kids to the abandoned Horakhty dorm. And then we all readied ourselves for battle. So now, it is the ultimate showdown of ultimate destiny… JADEN, ATTICUS! DO NOT START SINGING! __**Jaden and Atticus, from behind the curtain have pulled out mikes and are ready to sing a song by Lemon Demon. **__Okay, so on with the story._

_By the way, according to my legal department and Peach and Ani's legal department, we have to do the disclaimer. Peach and Ani just own their OCs, this version of the universe I live in, and their storyline. They don't own me or anyone else. Thanks. __**Aster walks off the stage.**_

_Authors' note: This duel's turns were taken from Episode 178 of GX. We made some modifications, including how the duel ended. So we hope you don't mind the changes and bear with us. And apparently when one Darkness continuous trap card is played, the effect is that the other two cannot be used. Finally, as many of you will point out, Nightshroud and Darkness may be considered one and the same. So consider that Thank you!_

The entire group ate their breakfasts and then headed outside, with the exception of Tyson, Rosa, Atticus, Chazz, Jasmine and Mindy. "Well... where is he?" Jaden wondered out loud. "We ate our breakfast and everything... SO WHERE ARE YOU, DARKNESS! I'M READY!!" he yelled, wanting to just get this over with. And then he sweat-dropped, chuckling. "Guess I shouldn't be yelling..."

However, it did seem to do the trick. The sky darkened with clouds, the gentle breeze suddenly became a harsh wind, and shadows seemed to thicken around every corner. "Uh...it worked, I think," Syrus stated, grinning sheepishly.

"Here it comes!" Aster called, his blue eyes narrowing.

Belowski's eyes widened as he stayed close to Professor Sartyr. "Can I hold your hand, Professor Sartyr?" he asked softly. The small teen boy, safe in a holographic environment for most of his short life, had never truly known this sort of danger. And it frightened him.

The teacher nodded, taking the boy's hand. "Of course, Belowski. Just stay close..." As all of this was going on, the wind became centered on a specific spot before the group, like a cyclone. That area darkened significantly, as if a shadowy portal were opening.

Annie's eyes widened in horror. The strange figure coalescing looked like the same creature she had faced back in early September. "The Grim Reaper," she murmured, rubbing the rosary beads in her pocket. "You will not win today."

Syrus's head whipped around to look at her. "W-Wait...this is the Grim Reaper?! He's Darkness??" he yelped, own eyes wide. Indeed, as the winds died down at last, the giant cloaked figure with red eyes could be no other entity.

Annie nodded, something in her blue eyes that the gang rarely saw, or even her love. "He is... And Jaden will win against him, because he has tried to exceed his power... You will not win, Grim Reaper... What did the Dark One promise you for this?" she challenged, believing Satan was involved.

"Nothing. This is of my own choosing, mortal soul," he answered in a gritty, low voice that ground across their mentality like sandpaper.

"Then you know you will lose today," she countered.

"ENOUGH." The voice took on a frightening tone, and a shadowy bolt struck the ground between the group and himself. "I have come to rid myself of you all. Nothing more. I have no time for talk. Jaden Yuki...are you prepared?" he asked, pointing a bony finger at him.

"I'm ready," the boy countered, his gaze turning steelier than the gang had ever seen. He would not quail in fear of the embodiment of death. "And I know the stakes. And Annie's right; you aren't going to win today. Game on..."

"Let us finish this once and for all..." Part of the Reaper's cloak and arm transformed into a bony duel disk, and the duel began. "I shall go first. I summon Darkness Eye (0/1000) to the field." An eerie looking vine grew up out of the ground, an eyeball sprouting from its top and opening to stare at Jaden. "Then, I activate the field spell, Darkness. It has two effects. When activated, it destroys every spell and trap card that I control. But I control none. Its second effect is that I can randomly set from my hand or deck one each of Zero, Infinity, Darkness 1, Darkness 2, and Darkness 3 in my spell and trap zone." As he explained, the five cards were set, the world around them darkening even more from the field spell. "I shall end my turn at that."

Jaden nodded, somehow unafraid even as the world around him grew darker. If he looked behind him, he would just barely be able to make out his friends' and teachers' silhouettes. But in his mind's eye, he saw them all surrounded by a warm glowing aura. "Well I summon Elemental Hero Sparkman (1600/1400) in attack mode!"

"GO JADEN!" several voices shouted in the darkness.

"I activate one of my set cards!" The Reaper pointed at one of the cards, and it flipped up to show a picture of a water droplet landing in a black puddle. "Zero. It allows me to activate another of my set cards. And I choose that one!" This card flipped up to show a picture of a spiral galaxy. "Infinity. It allows me to activate every card between it and Zero, which means I can activate this one!" The card between the two activated ones flipped up to show a picture of a familiar shadowy ocean. "Darkness 1. When activated by the effects of Zero and Infinity, it destroys an opponent's card for every face-up Darkness trap in play. I choose to destroy your Sparkman!" The Reaper pointed the grim finger of death at the Elemental Hero, and he imploded instantly.

Jaden yelped as Sparkman blew. But then, he pulled out a spell card with a picture of Elemental Hero Clayman appearing in front of a doomed Elemental Hero Neo Bubbleman. "I activate the spell card, Relationship! And this card lets me special summon a monster now as long as its attack power is equal to the Elemental Hero that was destroyed. And I summon a new monster facedown in defense position! And then I set another card facedown. And that's it for me!" he concluded.

"Win this, Slifer Slacker!" Doctor Crowler shouted. The group understood now that the teacher using that term was a gesture of affection.

"By the effect of Darkness, all of the face-up spell and trap cards I activated in this turn are reset and shuffled," the Reaper explained. The cards dropped back and switched around as he drew. "Because Darkness Eye is in attack position during my Standby Phase, its effect activates. Allowing me to summon Darkness Destroyer (2300/1200) without any tributes!" A vicious-looking monster with wings and claws appeared, with eyes as red as its master's. "Next, I activate one of my set cards. That one!" The Reaper pointed at an end card, and it flipped up to reveal Zero yet again. "By Zero's effect, I activate another set card." He pointed at the other end card, and it flipped up to reveal Infinity. "By Infinity's effect, all three cards in-between are activated. First, Darkness 2, which increases Darkness Destroyer's attack by 1000 for every face-up Darkness trap in play." The fiend's attack rose to 3300. "Next, Darkness 1 and Darkness 3. Increasing Destroyer's attack by another 2000! Unfortunately, because of Darkness 2's effect, I cannot use the effects of Darkness 1 and 3. But that matters not. Darkness Destroyer (5300/1200)! Attack his facedown monster!" The beast roared ferociously and charged at the facedown card, fangs bared and reared for destruction.

Before his friends could gasp or scream, Jaden shouted, "I activate Hero Barrier, which negates your attack against my Elemental Hero Necroshade (1600/1800)!"

The Reaper laughed, however, as Destroyer struck Necroshade again and successfully destroyed him. "Destroyer's effect allows it to attack twice during the same Battle Phase. Also...it has a piercing effect. You take damage equal to the difference between Destroyer's attack and Necroshade's defense."

Darkness Destroyer extended its arm out and rammed a ghostly hand through Jaden's chest. "AAAARRGH!" he screamed as his life points dropped to 500.

Annie gripped Sy's hand. "He's not going to lose," she stated softly, the fire burning in her blue eyes.

Syrus nodded, the same confidence in his own eyes. "He won't."

"JADEN! Be careful!" Alexis called, worry etched in her features. She might know instinctively that her love would not be defeated, but in the here-and-now, the possibility he might lose terrified her.

"It's... gonna be okay, babe! Think of all the people that are in trouble! We have to reach out to them somehow! They're trapped in that World of Darkness and we have to help them back!" he shouted back. "They're afraid of stuff that's happened and the stuff that might happen! Reach your thoughts out, everybody! Let them know they're not alone!"

"I know! Just don't get hurt anymore!" the blonde girl shouted back.

"Darkness's effect activates, re-setting and shuffling my spell and trap cards. That ends my turn," the Reaper stated.

Jaden could sense his friends around him even more strongly. "All right... here comes something!" he called out. "Thanks to Necroshade's ability when he's in the graveyard, I can summon one Elemental Hero without having to make a sacrifice! So I summon Elemental Hero Neos (2500/2100) to the field in attack position! And don't mess with..."

"Jaden, I'm only going to tell you once! Quit it!" Neos shouted, an angry vein throbbing on his forehead. Sure he liked Jaden, but the last thing he wanted was for the kid to keep pointing out his non-hero career choice.

"Okay, Neos!" Jaden grinned sheepishly, sweat-dropping. 'Now if I could just figure out what Darkness's weak point is,' he thought.

Suddenly, Yubel appeared beside him in spirit form. "Jaden! I've figured out how the Reaper keeps guessing the perfect trap cards every time," she whispered, her heterochromatic eyes shining in the gloom.

'What is it?' he sent back, eyebrow raising.

'It's his Darkness Eye. It has another special effect that allows Darkness to see which trap card is where,' she sent, glaring at the cloaked skeleton.

'Thanks,' he sent with a smile back at his spirit sister. 'Now I know what to do!' "Hey, Darkness, did your mother ever tell you to stop doing something because you'd poke your eye out?" he asked with a wicked grin.

"Oh, boy," Professor Viper groaned at the corny line. "He's got something..."

Jim sweat-dropped. "Did he really have to say something so corny, though?" he muttered. Shirley growled in agreement.

Meanwhile, the Grim Reaper was obviously not amused. "What are you saying? Make your move!"

"Okay! I use the spell card, Effect Shut which negates the effect of and destroys an Effect monster! So say goodbye to Darkness Eye!" A steel cage appeared around the monster, and monster and cage blew apart in a shower of pixels. "And now, Neos, attack Darkness Destroyer!" He motioned with his hand and Neos flew forward to punch the huge creature out.

The Reaper hissed in annoyance. "I activate a set card!" However, without the help of Darkness Eye, the card he chose was Darkness 1. Without Zero and Infinity being activated first, it had no effect, and was reset. So Darkness Destroyer was destroyed and he ended up taking 200 points of damage.

Jaden grinned. "And now I set one card facedown and I end my turn! Oh and I think your field spell takes effect, Darkness! Not so good now, huh?"

"Careful now, don't get cocky, Jaden!" Professor Viper called out.

Darkness's set cards were reshuffled as he drew. "You should listen to your professor, Jaden. I summon Darkness Outsider (0/0) and activate its effect. I discard a card from my hand and declare one Monster Card name. If that monster is in your deck, I can switch control of my Outsider and special summon that monster to my side of the field. And I declare YUBEL!!"

Jaden felt like he'd just been stabbed as his friend was brutally pulled from his deck. "Yubel!" he shouted, eyes wide with pain.

Darkness Outsider, a strange plant wearing a jester's mask, used its vines to drag Yubel to the Reaper's side of the field. "Jaden!! Don't let this stop you! You can still win!" the bat-winged monster called, visibly struggling against her vine bonds.

Meanwhile, Darkness Outsider was switched to Jaden's side of the field. Darkness would have smirked if his visage had had the capability to do so. "And now...Yubel (0/0)! Attack Neos and use your effect to win this duel for me, I command you!!" Yubel was forced to fly at Neos, claws outstretched and ready to attack.

"I activate the trap, Astral Shift! Yubel's target is ME!" Jaden shouted.

"Is he..!" Annie started and then realized, her face lighting up... "Brilliant?! Yubel doesn't have any attack points! She can't hurt him!"

And sure enough, Yubel shifted her attack and Jaden caught her fist in his hand. "It's okay," he said quickly, reassuring her. "I'll get you back."

Yubel smiled slightly. "I know you will." Then, she was forced to fly back to the opposing field. Jaden was also allowed to draw a card thanks to Astral Shift's effect.

"I use Darkness Slime's (2500/2500) special effect to summon it in Defense Position. That ends my turn," Darkness concluded ominously.

Jaden's eyebrows raised. 'He didn't Tribute a monster to keep Yubel... bad idea...' He looked over his hand and saw a new fusion monster that he could use since Darkness had given him the ability to get Yubel back. "I play Monster Reborn to bring Yubel to my side of the field!" he called out. "Welcome back!"

Yubel grinned as she reappeared on her human friend's side of the field. "Glad to be back, Jaden! I'm glad he didn't sacrifice a monster to keep me."

"Yeah. Me too! I play Polymerization to fuse Yubel and Neos to form a new Neo-Spacian hero to the field! Guys, say hello to Neos Wiseman (3000/3000)!" Neos and Yubel took each other's hands and merged into a hero with a dark costume and what looked like bat-like wings coming out of his headgear.

"Whoa," Axel muttered, impressed.

"Jaden, use us to win this duel," Yubel stated. She and Neos currently shared a mind.

"You heard her, Jaden," Neos added clearly.

"You've got it, guys!" he answered. "Okay, Wiseman, take out that Darkness Slime!" Neos Wiseman flew forward and broke Darkness Slime apart like a clump of old Jell-O. "Oh, and Neos Wiseman has a very special ability! See when my monster does battle with your monster, I gain life points equal to your monster's defense point and you lose life points equal to Darkness Slime's attack points! So say goodbye to 2500 life points!" Jaden grinned as his life points jumped to 3000 and Darkness's dropped to 1300.

"All right, Jaden!" Aster called out.

"This duel is not won until life points hit zero. Do not get ahead of yourself, mortals!" The Reaper stated as he drew. "I summon Darkness Necroslime (0/0) and activate its effect. By sending it from the field to the Graveyard, I can revive Darkness Eye (0/1000)!" The old, creepy-looking eye appeared again, meaning Darkness could once more confirm his set cards. "I activate Zero and Infinity, in turn activating the two cards in between. Darkness 1 allows me to destroy a card. And by negating Darkness 2's effect, I can destroy a second. I choose Neos Wiseman!" A dark blast of energy was sent at the monster.

Everyone watched as the attack hit, but then... "Did I mention another special ability?" Jaden asked with a calm look on his face as the smoke cleared to reveal Wiseman unharmed. "Wiseman can't be destroyed by card effects, so Darkness 1 EPIC FAILS!" he whooped.

"He used it right," Annie remarked to Syrus. "He used Epic Fail properly."

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Even in a duel for the fate of the world...he can be like that..."

Darkness's red eyes flashed, but he reset and shuffled his cards. "I end my turn there."

"We wouldn't have him any other way, though," Annie smiled, squeezing her love's hand.

"Okay, Wiseman, take down that freaky eye!" Jaden shouted.

"With pleasure," the merged voices of Neos and Yubel stated. The fusion creature flew forward and the eye again exploded in pixels.

"Thanks to the effect of Wiseman, I gain 1000 life points!" Jaden crowed as his life points jumped to 4000.

"But as its attack strength was zero, I lose none," the Reaper added.

"Come on, Jay! You can do this!" Adrian shouted.

"I'm going to. Now I end my turn!" Jaden finished.

Darkness drew his next card; he just seemed to be full of strategies. "I activate the effect of Darkness Seed (1000/1000). It was a monster I discarded to the grave. It is my second Standby Phase since the card was in my Graveyard, so now I can special summon it." A strange-looking plant with razor-sharp leaves appeared, fangs hidden within its blossoming flower. "With that I end my turn. This activates Darkness Seeds second effect. Since my Life Points are lower than 4000, they now become 4000!"

"Crap," Jaden groaned. "Oh, wait! Wiseman? Attack that overgrown Venus Flytrap! It probably has a special ability or something, but I'm still going to do damage to your life points!" Wiseman attacked and Darkness's life points dropped to 1000 while Jaden's rose to 5000. But... "It's still there!" he groaned.

"Darkness Seed cannot be destroyed by battle," the Reaper explained. "Figures it'd have an effect like that..." Jesse muttered, glaring at Darkness.

"He'll get out of it," Adrian answered, squeezing Echo's hand gently and gazing at her tenderly.

"All right, I place one card facedown and end my turn," Jaden sighed.

"Darkness Seed returns my Life Points to 4000," the Reaper stated before drawing. "I tribute Darkness Seed to summon Darkness Bramble (2000/2000)!" The strange flower disappeared, only to be replaced by an even larger plant. "One of its effects: I am not restrained by the effect of Darkness and can now check my set cards. I now activate Zero, Infinity, and the three cards in-between. Since Darkness 3 is activated first, it negates the effects of Darkness 1 and 2. Darkness 3 inflicts 1000 points of damage to you for each face-up trap card with Darkness in its name."

Jaden yelped as he lost 3000 life points. "Ouch!" he groaned. "Now what?!"

"DON'T GIVE UP!" his friends shouted.

"You can beat him, Jay!" Syrus added.

"I end my turn," the Reaper concluded. His cards reset and shuffled.

'He's going to try something,' the young man thought. 'And I'm ready,' he thought.

After Jaden drew, Darkness made his move. "I activate Dark Brambles effect. I can check and move my set cards." After moving some around, the Reaper continued. "I activate Zero, Infinity, and Darkness 3, which negates Darkness 1. However, Darkness 3 deals you 2000 more points of damage! I am the victor!"

"JADEN!!" Alexis called, fearful that he was going to lose here.

"Not quite! I play the spell card, Quick Summon, which lets me call Chrysalis Pantail (800/300) from my hand to the field! And then I activate the trap, Cocoon Veil to negate the damage from Darkness 3!" The attack hit, but blew by the young man like a capricious passing wind.

"That was close," Chancellor Shepherd murmured, beads of sweat coming on his.

"You can say that again," Professor Sartyr agreed, sweat-dropping.

"Very well. Continue your move," the Reaper stated.

"And now I tribute Pantail to summon a creature in Defense Position," Jaden stated calmly. "And now, Wiseman, attack that Bramble monster!" Neos Wiseman flew toward the plant monster, ready to destroy it.

"Not so fast. I tribute my Bramble and discard Darkness Raincrow to special summon Darkness Neosphere (4000/4000)! And with your target gone, your attack goes nowhere. Also, Neosphere allows me to check my set cards and rearrange them," the Reaper explained. A mutated-looking warrior appeared with long, magenta hair. Its arms were tipped by large claws; it had one angelic wing, and one bat-like wing.

"Well, actually... you're about to get a surprise... I reveal my facedown monster, Neo-Spacian Dark Panther (1000/500)! And thanks to his special ability, he can copy Neo-Sphere's ability and reset Darkness. So if you want to use that again, all your spells and traps will, as my fiancée's younger brother says, go bye-bye! Now I set one card and end my turn!"

The Reaper appeared to be unphased as he drew. "I attack Neos Wiseman with Darkness Neosphere!" The warrior charged forward, slashing through the hero with its giant claws.

Jaden started to crack up, suddenly euphoric. "You shouldn't have attacked Wiseman!"

But again the Grim Reaper seemed unfazed. "I know." This definitely sent all those present sprawling into confusion.

"He knows he just totally lost?!" Annie yelped as Neos Wiseman was blown off the field.

But instead of Jaden's life points taking a hit, they rose to 6000, while Darkness's life points dropped to 0. "That's game!" the young man whooped in triumph. "And now, free everyone you trapped!"

"Of course. But a warning, Jaden Yuki." The reaper of souls pointed a bony finger at the Slifer. "I shall return. For I am the embodiment of Darkness, which can never truly die."

Jaden's face turned serious as the darkness began to clear. "That may be, but as long as we believe in each other, and in the future, you're not going to win... And my friends taught me that death shall have no dominion..."

"We shall see. And we will meet again...at least once more..." With that, Darkness faded, and the day became clear again. And gradually, one by one, Duel Academy students began reappearing on the ground.

However, in the World of Darkness, one was having a problem doing so. Seconds before Jaden had won, Violet had given up. A wave crashed through her nightmare, and she began sinking down into the ocean. The darkness was suffocating her in the way water can drown a person, seeping into her body slowly. 'I can't take it... Just let me be alone... No more pain...please,' she thought.

And slightly above her, Bastion was slowly coming around. 'What? Where am I?' he wondered, looking around in the ether. He looked down and saw Violet's pale form sinking. 'No! Not again! Not now!' He turned and began to swim toward her as fast as he could. 'Darling... I'm coming,' he thought/sent as hard as he could. 'I love you and I will not fail you again!'

And Violet's eyes opened slightly, just enough to see his familiar form coming towards her. 'Bastion...? Why...why are you saving me? You don't love me,' she thought. And as Bastion swam, the darkness seeped into him as well, even if he hadn't succumbed to his darkness yet.

He could hear the doubt and fear, but pushed it aside as hard as he could. 'I...will... not... fail... you again,' he sent, reaching out to her. 'I do love you... and I will not let you die here, my love...' He stretched out and clasped her wrist, pulling her upward as hard as he could. Violet didn't help, still shocked that he was even saving her. She stared blankly at him as they rose, assisted by the light pulling them back to the real world. What Violet didn't know was that Bastion had used up most of what remained of his strength in saving her. His body had weakened in his fighting of the darkness. 'I did it,' was his last conscious thought as they broke through to find themselves back on Earth.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

All over the planet, people were waking up and reuniting with their families. In Domino, Kisara Kaiba woke up in her hospital room to hear, "Mom?"

"Noah! Rini!" she called out, managing to sit up as her eldest twins raced in eagerly to hug her.

And in a small apartment in another part of town, Amane Ryou was shocked when her brother appeared out of nowhere on the floor. "Alex?" Amane asked, shocked as her brother reappeared as suddenly as he'd disappeared.

"Amane!" Alex cried out, hugging his twin to him.

"DAD! DAD!" Amane shouted at the top of her lungs. Bakura came out of his office, and sank to his knees in tears as he held both his babies to him. "Alex... my sweet little boy..."

In another part of Domino, at the Muto residence, the King of Games was in for a shock when his youngest daughter abruptly fell onto his lap. Lily Muto looked up at her spiky-haired father and blinked. "Daddy?"

Yugi sat stunned for a moment. "Lil...Lily... TEA!" he shouted, hugging his littlest one close.

"Dad, why are you yelling?" the seven-year-old twins, Temmy and Yugi wondered and then... "LILY!" they both shouted as their mother and big sister, Sophie, came running into the room.

As the Muto family hugged and cried happily together, one more famous child reappeared in Domino. The Wheeler family had been relaxing in their backyard, a brief respite after stressing for so long over their lost family member. However, much to everyone's shock and Jo-Jo's dismay, said family member appeared in mid-air and promptly landed on the boy. "AGH!! Dad! Angie fell on me!" he shouted indignantly. And then his expression went from anger, to puzzlement and then to joy. "Wait, ANGELA?!" he squealed.

10-year-old Angela Wheeler blinked her big brown eyes in shock at her brother. "Jo-Jo? Where... Where was I?" she asked, getting off him.

Mai Wheeler completely lost it at that moment. "Angela!" she yelped, hugging her eldest child tightly. "Oh, baby, where were you?" Tears were streaming down her face.

"I... I don't know, Mom... Dad? Gina? Jo-Jo? Where was I?" Angela asked again, her big brown eyes swimming with confusion.

Joey, finally coming out of his shock, ran over and joined in the family hug that had ensued. "I don't know, but all that matters now is that you're back! You're finally back..." Even the tough, witty duelist had tears in his eyes.

"Angie's back! Angie's back!" three-year-old Gina cheered at the top of her lungs. It seemed everything was going to be okay.

_So the people have returned to the world thanks to Jaden. But is everything really over? Next time, join us for "In Sickness and In Health." Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	36. In Sickness and In Health

Chapter XXXVI: In Sickness and In Health

_Hello again, dear readers! Welcome back to __**Darkness Falls!**__ Yes, this is going on and "Dawn Breaks" will be a chapter title instead of a separate tale. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, as always. We appreciate you taking the time and reviewing, and we thank all of you who took the time to read the story too, whether or not you left a review. We're just glad you're here! So onto the story!_

_Last time, Jaden dueled Darkness, apparently the embodiment of the Grim Reaper. After a challenging duel, the Slifer duelist reigned triumphant. In the shadowy World of Darkness, Violet gave up and nearly sank to her doom, but Bastion pulled her back. So what will happen now? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: **__Okay, okay, for the 208__th__ time, we don't own GX, the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise at large, or the related characters. We only own our OCs, this plotline and this version of the Yugi-verse. Thank you!_

_Authors' note: Some definite OOCness on the parts of Adrian and Echo, but all in good fun, of course. Some sweet fluff as well. Thanks for your attention!_

At Duel Academy, students found themselves on the grounds of the school. Most students were in surprisingly good shape after their time suspended in the shadows. "Hey! We're alive!" one Slifer boy called out to a Ra.

"You sure we're not still dreaming?!" the Ra called back, and was promptly punched on the head by an Obelisk.

"There! Since you didn't wake up, we're obviously not still dreaming!"

"Why I oughta!" the Ra countered, about to go into Three Stooges mode. "Well, we're here! I'm hungry!!"

And down at Ra... "Marcel!" Jean-Louis Bonaparte shouted as his son appeared at his feet, emaciated and eyes closed. "Marcel... please speak to me..."

"Ooooh...Papa," the small Ra groaned, exhausted. Having been thin already, Marcel was almost as weak and starved as Rosa had been.

Bonaparte tenderly pulled his child into his arms. "Shh... it's going to be all right, my sweet boy... Papa's here... I'll take care of you..."

However, while most of those who had returned were moving about and regaining their bearings, two remained unconscious. This was confusing as Violet and Bastion had only been gone for a few days. The couple lay motionless on the grass, Bastion still clutching Violet's wrist for dear life.

"Bastion! Violet!" Annie called, sinking to her knees and checking their pulses. "C'mon, wake up! You're safe now!" They had both lost weight, and Bastion began to cough. The girl tried to flip him so she could seat him in what's commonly known as recovery position. "Urgh... I need some help here," she groaned, as her surrogate brother was too heavy for her to move on her own.

Syrus ran over, and helped his fiancée move Bastion. "Annie, what's wrong with them?! They shouldn't be like this..."

Jaden ran back from where he'd been dueling. His brown eyes were wide with horror. "What's going on?"

"They... I don't know," Annie groaned, face pale as she worked over her friends. "They must've been fighting it... and losing... We need to..."

"Get them to the infirmary," Miss Fontaine commanded tightly. "Jim, Axel, run and get two stretchers. Annie, let's see if we can get them awake."

As the two boys ran to get the stretchers, Syrus shook Violet's shoulders. "Violet? Violet, can you hear me?? Wake up! You're safe now!" he tried. Violet groaned softly, but didn't make any other movements.

Annie's face paled to the shade of curdled milk as she felt Bastion's cheeks. "Miss Fontaine, I think he has a fever... Something really weakened his resistance in there is my guess..."

The nurse pulled an ear thermometer from her medical bag and checked the Ra as the teen girl moved aside. "Confirmed. He's in trouble... Bastion, try waking up..."

And then, in his fever-sleep, the Ra genius moaned softly, "Violet... no... don't... give up..."

Annie scooted over to her best friend and in desperation pleaded, "Violet, you need to wake up! Bastion needs you! He's sick!"

Shockingly, Violet's eyes suddenly snapped open, except they were a deep blood red. However, it only lasted a split second before they faded back to their normal green. Pulling in a ragged breath, Violet stared at Annie with the same blank look she'd given Bastion in the other world. "Annie? Why are you here?" she questioned, groaning as she sat up.

The other girl blinked, having seen the flash of red. Then, deciding it was a trick of the light, she threw her arms around the purple-headed girl. "Violet! Violet, you're back!" she exclaimed, the question having not immediately registered with her.

But Violet, rather than returning the hug whole-heartedly, tensed and stared at Annie as if she had two heads. "Annie?! What? Why are you hugging me??" The Annie in Violet's repeated nightmares had been one of the key instigators for her verbal abuse.

Annie stopped short, but didn't release her. "I'm so happy you're back! I thought... I was worried you might not come back," she said, tears starting to flow down her face. "That's why I'm hugging you. You've been gone for over a week!"

"What...?" Violet continued to stare at her, unmoving, mind trying to process what had happened. 'How dare she act as if she cares for you? After all of the names she called you? Are you going to sit there and TAKE IT?!' yelled a voice in the back of her mind. Violet's eyes widened, and a shiver went down her spine. "A-Annie...why... You HATE me! And now this?! G-Get away! Let go!" She yelled, pushing the brunette away and scrambling back a little. Her face conveyed nothing but pain and confusion.

Annie jerked back as if she'd been slapped. "I... Violet, I don't hate you..." And then she put two and two together, understanding what must have happened. "Is that what Darkness told you?! It's not true! And Bastion needs you right now!"

Violet's eyes moved from Annie to Bastion's weakened form and back again, body slightly shaking. What was going on? None of this made sense. "B-Bastion...?"

"Yes, Bastion... When you disappeared, he wasn't the same... He let the Darkness come and take him. He didn't even fight... He said you saw something that made you think he didn't love you anymore and that we'd turn against you. And he hated that he couldn't save you... It broke him!" Annie met Violet's confused green eyes with her desperate blue ones.

"I...I-I..." Violet stammered, tears slowly brimming her eyes as she reached up to hold her head. "I'm so confused! I don't...understand any of this..." It was obvious she was going through information overload.

"Just concentrate on one thing... You're home... and you're safe... And we have to take you to the infirmary... We're taking Bastion too," the would-be doctor stated firmly.

"O-Okay..." And Violet did, for the moment blocking out all else except for those key things. "Wh-What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know, but he has a fever and he won't wake up," Annie explained, face still very pale.

Violet frowned and crawled over to him, placing a shaky hand on his side. "Bastion...?" She tried, desperately pushing away the nightmares of him blatantly saying he didn't love her.

"Violet," he moaned in his unconsciousness, "I love you... please... don't leave me..."

Her frown deepened. "I didn't leave you...you left me... You didn't love me...but I still love you..."

"Love you... don't die," he moaned weakly, body showing obvious signs of starvation.

"He fought back and it drained him fast," Annie murmured.

And then, it hit Violet like a ton of bricks, and with a cry she buried her face in his side. "It's my fault! Me! Because of me, he....! All I ever do is hurt people!!"

Her touch was enough to bring Bastion around. His gray eyes opened in confusion. "Violet? You're alive?" he asked weakly, reaching his hand up to touch her cheek. His cheeks were hollow and his hand was trembling.

She tensed a little, looking down slightly to meet his eyes. "Bastion? Y-Yeah...of course I am... Thanks to you...you saved me... But now, you...you're getting sick!" Tears flooded her eyes, a hand reaching to grasp his.

"I... don't care... I... kept... failing..." And then his eyes closed as he passed out again.

"Bastion, hang in there," Annie murmured, keeping a grip on Violet at the same time.

Tears slipped down Violet's cheeks, body still shaking as she held Bastion's hand. Her mind was incredibly unstable at the moment, jumbled by too many explanations and statements at once. "Annie," she moaned. "I don't understand...any of this..."

"Let's... let's get you to the infirmary first," the dark-haired girl stated unsteadily as Axel and Jim came running with three stretchers instead of two. Miss Fontaine quickly barked orders and within seconds, Adrian and Professor Viper carried Bastion on his stretcher; Chancellor Shepherd and Axel carried Violet on her stretcher and Jim and Miss Fontaine carried Marcel's stretcher. "We're going to move Atticus, Chazz and Rosa as well," the nurse added in explanation to the other instructors.

"What? Annie?" Violet called to her best friend, frowning.

"What is it, Violet?" Annie asked as she walked next to her friend's stretcher, taking her hand as the group started its walk to the infirmary.

"What happened to Atty, Chazz, and Rosa?" the purple-haired young woman asked, confused. Of course she remembered Rosa being taken...but she didn't know how it had damaged her.

Annie took a deep breath and told her everything about Rosa coming back yesterday in a very weak state, and Atticus facing Nightshroud within himself and Chazz helping to save his brother. "...And then Jaden dueled Darkness about half an hour ago," she finished as they entered the infirmary building, "and you came back along with everybody else...We thought... you were lost..." Annie's voice shook with the strain of the past few weeks.

Violet looked away. "I was..." If it hadn't been for Bastion, she wouldn't be there right now. Who knew where she'd be.

"A lot of people disappeared," Annie explained as Chancellor Shepherd and Axel helped her lift Violet onto an infirmary bed. "Thanks, Chancellor, Axel... A lot of people disappeared, Violet... They're all back now..."

Violet closed her eyes tightly. "That's because none of them gave in... Annie, I…I did! And I'd be who-knows-where right now if Bastion hadn't," she whimpered, pulling the covers up over her head.

Annie didn't let her friend cover up. "Violet... there were other people who probably gave up as you nearly did... Bastion... wouldn't have been able to save you otherwise," she asserted gently. "He was giving up..." She looked over at one of the other beds where Miss Fontaine was working on getting in an IV. "He... was near surrender... But what kept him alive... was you..."

Violet shook her head, tears in her eyes. "That can't be right, Annie! It's because of me...because he saved me...that he's like this now! My fault...always my fault," she muttered, burying her face in her hands.

"It's not your fault," Annie soothed. "You didn't see him after you disappeared... He didn't care about anything but you... He just wanted to be with you. He said he'd failed you again, that he couldn't protect you... And he deserved the consequences for that failure."

"But he always protected me," Violet muttered again, frowning. "I was the one who said I hated him..."

"He knew that wasn't you... And he felt like he should've been able to keep you from getting hurt..."

"I don't know what to do anymore... I'm still confused about all that's happened... Bastion...me...everything..."

Annie took a breath and smiled a little. "Just rest, then... Let yourself relax and I'll get you something to eat. You're probably a little hungry..."

Violet's stomach rumbled, and she blinked. "I...I guess I am," she muttered, much to everyone's shock.

"We'll get you something, then," Annie sighed.

Over at another bed, Jean-Louis Bonaparte brushed his son's dark hair as the boy lay in the bed, hooked up to an IV. "I'm calling Maman and Josephine to let them know how you are, Marcel," he said softly in their native tongue.

Marcel looked up at his father with heavily-lidded eyes, awake but exhausted. "Maman..?" he asked weakly, also in French.

"Yes... Maman wants to know that you're going to be all right," the man said lovingly, brushing Marcel's bangs. "I'm just glad to have you back...."

"Papa... I… I'm sorry... That I...caused you and...Maman to leave," Marcel muttered quietly in French.

"No... no, you didn't," the worried father murmured, pulling the boy into a hug. "What makes you think you're responsible?"

"You...always argued...about me," Marcel answered, frowning deeply.

"Marcel... why do you think it was about you?" Jean-Louis asked softly, feeling the deep ache in his heart.

"You...always argued...over my schooling... Or...you leaving and...not being there for me..."

Jean-Louis sighed. That was where his and Antoinette's final fight had centered. "No... no... that was not your fault... That was what came up in our last fight... Was that what you saw in that dark place?"

Marcel nodded. "Y-Yeah... Papa... If it was not...my fault, then...why did you leave?"

Jean-Louis knew it was time for the whole truth. "My boy... there were a lot of reasons. I did need the job, but also, you know Maman and I fought for other reasons... She was younger than me and I suppose thought I was right for her once, but I was not right for her any longer…"

Marcel stared at his father with wide, innocent eyes. "Papa...what are you saying? Didn't Maman love you?"

Jean-Louis took a deep breath, hugging his son close. 'He must know the truth,' he thought, in pain. "Maman and I drifted apart and... she met Monsieur LaMonte... I know I have told you things before... And I know you saw him with Maman," he gently reminded the boy.

Marcel nodded. "I did... Papa, does Maman love Monsieur LaMonte? Is that why she stopped loving you?"

"I think... I was not good enough for her," Jean-Louis answered carefully. He now chose not to bash Antoinette, for though they were not in love anymore, she was still the mother of his only child. "And she found a young man her own age that was more like her..."

Marcel hugged his father with his now very bony arms. "You were good enough, Papa... No matter what Maman thinks..."

Jean-Louis hugged his son back. "Just remember that no matter what, we love you, and what happened was not your fault, Marcel. We'll call Maman and Mademoiselle Josephine, all right?"

"All right..."

Over at the third bed in the infirmary, Bastion lay in a mental fog. The last thing he remembered was Violet crying over him and then the sensation of being lifted. "Mmm," he moaned weakly, opening his eyes. He could sense someone next to his bed, and then saw a tuft of what looked like blue cotton candy. "Who's there?" he asked weakly.

"It's me, Bastion. Syrus... Can you hear me okay?" The bespectacled teen asked, coming fully into the other's field of vision.

The big boy smiled weakly. "Hello, Syrus. Yes, I can hear you... Where am I?"

Syrus returned the smile. "You're in the infirmary. How are you feeling, Bastion?"

Bastion thought a moment. "I feel as if I've been in a fight... And... I'm rather confused... How did I get here?" Syrus explained to Bastion how Jaden had dueled Darkness and won, which had led to everyone returning. He also explained how they'd carried him and Bastion here because they were weak from being in the World of Darkness. "Violet... Violet... Is she all right?" Bastion asked, weakly struggling to try and get up. He just couldn't manage it, though.

Syrus quickly put a hand on Bastion's chest to signal it was time to stop trying to get up for now. "Bastion, don't get up, you need to rest. Violet's fine...she's in another bed and eating. You can probably see her soon, but you have to relax, okay?"

"She... I couldn't protect her," the Ra moaned, weak as a kitten against Sy's hand.

Syrus shook his head. "No, Bastion, you saved her. She was sinking...and you brought her back. Remember?" Annie had told him what Violet had told her.

"She... still... got sucked in... I couldn't stop it..." Bastion sank into his pillows again, shivering.

"Bastion, you could only be in your own nightmare. You couldn't get to her then...it was impossible," Syrus tried, frowning.

"I should've... should've seen it coming... And I waited too long," Bastion murmured, face growing sweaty. Whatever had happened in that shadowy world had done damage to the young man's health.

"Miss Fontaine!" Syrus called worriedly, watching his friend's face turn to the shade of paper.

Miss Fontaine raced over to the bed. "Bastion... you need to calm down..."

"Can't... Violet," he protested as she checked his temperature.

"Bastion, you have a fever of 102. You are going to stay in this bed and calm down. Violet's okay. Annie's been feeding her and we'll get something for you in a few minutes. You've lost a lot of your strength..."

"I..." The Ra sank back into his pillows, worn out.

"Just stay there... Syrus, think you can help me with Bastion?" the nurse requested as the Ra boy settled down

Syrus nodded. "Sure, Miss Fontaine. What can I do?"

"I need someone who can feed him slowly. I know you can handle that," the nurse said with a smile.

He smiled as well. "Yeah, I can do that."

"Thanks, sweetie. I'm going to have my hands full when Atticus and Chazz get here. They're going to need a lot of care..."

"Atticus? Chazz?" Bastion asked, managing to prop himself up for a brief moment before his spinning head made him lie back down. "What... what happened to them?"

"I'll tell you, Bastion. But you need to stay down, okay? Don't try to sit up like that," Syrus stated before telling Bastion what Annie had told Violet, including the part about Rosa since he'd probably end up asking later.

"They're going to be all right...And it figures that Annie was the one to solve the situation," Bastion murmured, picturing the scenes in his mind.

Syrus grinned. "Yeah... And we'll take care of you and Violet as soon as you're feeling better. Okay?"

"Okay," Bastion agreed, closing his eyes for a long moment. When next he opened them, he smelled the delectable odor of Professor Sartyr's chicken soup with rice.

"Bastion? Are you awake?" Syrus asked. The bowl of soup was on the bedside table, ready to be eaten.

The young man opened his eyes, smiling a little. "Yeah, Syrus, I'm awake, and... Is that chicken soup?" he asked.

The shorter boy grinned. "Yeah, it is. Professor Sartyr dropped it off for everyone. Do you think you can sit up a little and eat?"

Jaden had been bouncing around the infirmary, eager to do what he could, now came over to the bed. "Here, Bastion, let me help you up..." He helped Bastion into a sitting position.

"Thank you, Jaden... for everything." Bastion couldn't put it into words, but in his heart, he knew he owed Jaden big.

"Bastion, we're buddies and we're practically brothers. That's what we do," the Slifer stated, fixing the pillows carefully behind Bastion's back and head.

"Jaden's right, Bastion. You'd have done the same for any of us. We help each other," Syrus added as he grabbed the bowl of soup and set it on his lap.

"Yeah. So let's just get you better, Bastion," Jaden grinned. "Sy, I'll hold the bowl, if you want."

Syrus smiled. "It's okay, Jay. I've done this before, remember? I can handle it," he reminded as he got a spoonful and blew on it to cool the soup.

"Okay. Miss Fontaine had me make beds and I'm done with that. I just want to be sure I'm helping everybody," Jaden said eagerly.

Syrus laughed. "Well then can you check on Annie for me? I know she's been pushing herself a lot lately." He slowly spoon-fed Bastion, making sure not to go too fast.

"Sure, Sy! You've got it!" And Jaden trotted over to where Annie was sitting with Violet.

"Annie's been pushing herself?" Bastion asked in concern.

Syrus sighed, glancing back at his beloved. "Just like she always does... With everyone needing help from getting hurt, Annie's been busy helping Miss Fontaine. I'm just worried she's not letting herself rest enough," he explained.

"Has she suffered any ill effects with her heart?"

"Well, there was one incident..." Syrus, as he continued to feed Bastion, told him about what had happened with Jaden and the Supreme King. How Jim had ended up saving both Jaden and Annie, and in return got his eye back.

Bastion's eyes widened. "So... she's all right now? And Jim... had his eye regenerated... That's extraordinary..."

Syrus nodded, smiling happily. "It is... And yeah, she's all right now. Even her scars are gone...it's amazing."

"Her scars are gone? How would you..? Okay, forget I asked," Bastion stated with a slight blush. "You would've seen... So now, it's not a life and death matter if she pushes herself..."

"No...but it's still not good for her. So I've been trying to keep an eye on her," Syrus replied.

"Yeah... good," the weak boy answered, sipping on his soup.

About 20 minutes after Sy started feeding Bastion, there was a minor commotion in the infirmary. "Why can't I walk in here?!" Chazz Rhodes complained as Echo Gecko and Adrian lifted him on a stretcher. "I can understand my brother, but why not me?"

"You heard Miss Fontaine, Chazz. She says you're still not strong enough to walk that far," Echo reminded seriously.

"Yeah, yeah, but I feel fine!"

"Chazz... shut up and stay lying down," Adrian said sternly.

"Okay, okay... Geez..."

Atticus snickered. "They told you, bro!" He was right behind his brother, lying on a stretcher carried by Professor Viper and Professor Stein.

"As we told you, Atticus," Viper stated in his slightly menacing voice.

Atty practically "eep'd" and sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly. "I know..."

"You have to teach me how to do that," Stein stated, looking over at the West Academy teacher.

Thelonius Viper couldn't hide a slight smirk. "It helps being in the Army and working out in the gym." And then he added, "You work out... but you don't need to go to the army..."

Stein sweat-dropped. "Good... I think I'll stick to Duel Monsters History."

The teachers and students got the injured young men onto the specially prepared beds and Miss Fontaine bustled over. "Okay, boys, I have special baths prepared for you. That should help with the itching..."

"Great! It's been driving me nuts...and you said we can't scratch!" Atticus replied, fingers twitching.

"Yeah... every time I move, my chest itches," Chazz groaned.

"All right, then. Our bath attendant will help you..."

"It's not Annie, is it?" the raven-haired Slifer asked, dreading the curvy Obelisk girl's help, even as nice as she was.

Miss Fontaine grinned at that. "No... she's staying out here with the other patients. Your bath attendant is..."

"Hey, guys!" Jaden grinned, coming out from the bath area, now wearing a pair of bright red scrubs.

"Oh, crap!" Chazz groaned, but smiling inwardly.

Atticus grinned and waved at Jaden. "All right! You're our bath attendant, Jay? Awesome!!"

"Yeah! Miss Fontaine says you need another guy in here to help, and she showed me what to do to help you in." And so the two patients were able to walk from their beds to the bath area and disrobed with Jaden and Miss Fontaine's help. Within a few minutes, the burned boys were in specially medicated baths.

"Hey... this feels nice," Chazz murmured, his eyes closed.

Atticus sighed, closing his eyes and sinking in. "Oh, yeah...no more itching..."

As Chazz was immersed where he was burned, Jaden could head over to Atticus. "Let me get your face for you," he said, picking up a washcloth and wetting it in the bathwater.

Atty grinned. "Thanks, Jay. Hey, was dueling the Grim Reaper hard?"

"Yeah... Part of me wonders if Darkness wanted to lose... I mean, he attacked Neos Wiseman knowing I'd take out his life points!"

"Hmmm...." Atticus opened his eyes, staring at the wall. "Maybe..."

Jaden gently patted the older boy's face with the cloth. "You agree with that? Why?"

"Well...he's Death… Darkness. Maybe he knew he was going to end up losing and decided to do it on his own terms..."

Jaden thought about it and nodded. "Yeah...maybe... He'll get us differently... eventually... But I wonder why he tried to take all of us at once..."

"Who knows...maybe he'll tell us when we see him again."

"Yeah... I hope that's not for a long time..."

"Me too, Slacker... me too," Chazz agreed, relaxing his muscles in the tub.

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The day turned to evening and Miss Fontaine smiled at Annie. "Honey, you're getting tired and need a good rest. There aren't any beds in here... Why don't you go back to Obelisk with Sy?"

"But... Miss Fontaine, what if you have an emergency?" Annie asked. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes showed tiredness. But even with that, she didn't want to leave the infirmary.

"Annie, you need sleep. You didn't sleep well last night, and I know you didn't get enough sleep the other night."

"Miss Fontaine's right, Annie. You won't be any help if you're half-asleep... You need the rest," Syrus added, taking her hand.

"Syrus, get her out of here," the nurse stated gently. "Get her to eat something... I don't think she's had dinner yet..."

He nodded. "Come on, Annie..."

The young woman allowed herself to be led from the main building rather reluctantly. "I hate leaving," she said as they headed out into the warm evening.

All around the academy, the other students were celebrating. Out in the clearing away from the buildings, some students had bonfires going. Others were dancing to their favorite music and reveling in being alive. But others still had a different way of celebrating. "WOOOOO!" one guy, a known Obelisk whooped as he ran through Monster Row in his birthday suit.

"Uh... oh my," was all Annie could say as she saw more of said Obelisk that she ever wanted to see.

Syrus's eyes went wide, as the Obelisk got mixed reactions. The guys cheered him on, while the girls shrieked and covered their eyes. "Uh... Heh, remember when you found me hiding in those bushes, Annie?"

"Yeah... but you're not the type to go streaking, honey," she answered, having to look away for a second.

"No, I'm not... And neither are you, Annie."

Annie blushed. "Y-yeah... definitely not me... Miss Fontaine... was right... I need something..." She turned a little pale.

"Annie? Are you okay?" Syrus asked worriedly, coming to a stop.

"Just... tired and a little hungry," she groaned, placing a hand on his shoulder. She felt herself growing woozy, but not to fainting level.

"Right. Let's get back to Obelisk, they should have some dinner left. And then we can go up and sleep, okay?"

"Okay," Annie said sleepily as they walked through the crowds of revelers. At the Obelisk dining hall, she got some beef teriyaki with white rice and cucumber salad. "I'm so tired... I'm barely hungry," she sighed as they sat down at a small cafe table.

Syrus had already eaten, so he'd just grabbed a glass of milk. "Just eat this, Annie. Then you can sleep. You need to eat something first."

She ate her dinner without a lot of discussion. "All done," she smiled as she finished. Her head wasn't spinning, but she still felt worn out.

He grinned back. "Okay, let's get you upstairs and changed so you can sleep in bed instead of on the floor," he joked.

Annie chuckled softly. "Yeah, a bed sounds very nice right now..."

"Well, come on," Syrus said as he stood and took her hand.

"Okay... we haven't been in here for a couple of days," she said as they headed out of the dining hall and to the elevator.

"Yeah...and it's not as empty as it was," he replied, looking around at the other students. Girls were chatting happily with their friends and double-checking that everything in their rooms was still there.

"Yeah... It's nice to have everyone back... Too bad the wedding's getting pushed back... I hope they can all still make it..." Annie sighed at that. "It'll be okay... I guess maybe I'm worrying too much…"

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As Annie and Syrus got ready for bed, Adrian and Echo opened up a laptop computer. "I think we can tell Mom it's safe to come now," he smiled.

She returned the smile. "Yeah, it'll be nice to see her and Sid again in person."

"Yeah... They need the vacation," he said softly. "Good thing there's no time difference... This isn't like when I was at East Academy in New York..."

"I wonder if Sid's gone to bed yet..."

"He's probably sleeping with Mom... so they haven't gone to bed yet," Adrian reasoned, making the connection to their home.

"Good. He'll be glad to hear they can come to see us now," Echo said.

And across the ocean in Domino City, the videophone at the Gecko residence started ringing. Rachel Gecko sat up and looked at the caller ID as her youngest child sat next to her. "Oh, my... Sid, honey... It's Adrian and Echo!"

Sid grinned. "Big brother and big sister?"

"Yeah. Let's pick up!" Rachel punched the button on the phone for video display. "Hey, kids," she greeted with a soft but weary smile.

"Adrian! Echo!" Sid called, face momentarily filling up the entire screen.

Echo chuckled. "Hi, Mom. Hey, Sid!"

Adrian was smiling too. "Hey, Mom. Hey, squirt... How are you guys doing?" he asked gently.

"We're okay, Adrian... what about you two?" Rachel asked. The couple at Duel Academy could see the toll the past few days had taken on her. She had circles under her eyes, and her hair was less than fashionably coiffed. She wore no makeup and looked even older than she did.

"We're fine. Mom, it's great...do you remember Jaden?" Echo asked, remembering that Adrian had told her about the gang.

"Yeah... the boy who was supposed to... He dueled and won, didn't he?"

Echo nodded happily. "He did. Everyone came back...at Duel Academy and everywhere else."

"I've been watching the news reports," she answered her daughter. "It was incredible...families reuniting... Whole cities. If Jaden was the one responsible, the world owes him a debt of gratitude..."

"He sounds cool! Can I meet him, big brother?" Sid asked excitedly.

"Yeah. Now that it's safe... Mom, why don't you and Sid come on out? The school year's almost over and there should be extra room!"

"That sounds kind of nice, actually," Rachel said wearily.

"I can finally see Duel Academy?" Sid was practically bursting with eagerness.

Echo grinned. "Yes, Sid, you can. And I think you'll love it."

"Okay... We'll get out on a helicopter in the morning," Rachel promised. "We're having Daddy cremated, okay?"

All three children seemed to sober significantly at that. "Okay, Mom," Echo answered, frowning a little.

"It's just easier that way," the sad mother explained softly.

"Mom... I'm sorry," Adrian began.

"No... Adrian... honey, please don't be sorry... And you, Echo, Sid and I now control the company..."

"Does that mean I'll stop running the submarine?" Echo asked. There was slight hope in her voice; maybe now she could get a real job in the company. It wasn't that she'd hated the job; she had, however wished for something more than being a spy.

"Do you want to stop running the submarine?" Rachel asked curiously. She was a little bit surprised that Echo might not like the job.

Echo blinked, then sweat-dropped. "Well, I...always hoped I might get a more... Important job in the company..."

"Well, if that's what you want, honey, we can make that happen for you. You hid it too well that you weren't thrilled with the job," Rachel said wistfully.

Echo frowned. "It was Father... I was lucky he let me control a submarine..."

"And you did a wonderful job of it. I think he was proud of you... and I know I was…"

"You...really think so, Mom?" the young woman asked in shock. She'd never felt that her father loved her, or at least took pride in her accomplishments.

Rachel nodded. "I think maybe he was... He just... for whatever reason, never could express pride."

Echo sighed, feeling some relief. "Maybe you're right... Thanks, Mom..."

"No problem, Echo... And remember this... You are Echo Ruth Gecko and you are a powerful, brilliant woman," Rachel smiled. Echo returned the smile, blushing a little.

"Yeah! Big sister is great! So is big brother!! Adrian, Echo, I wanna be just like you when I get big."

Adrian grinned at Echo. "So, we'll see you guys tomorrow! Love you guys..."

"Yeah, love you, Mom, Sid," Echo added.

"I love you, big brother and big sister," Sid replied, smiling cutely.

"Love you kids, too... Good night," Rachel smiled, terminating the connection.

And then Adrian and Echo were alone in the room. "Man, with everyone back... We have to figure out where you sleep tonight..."

Echo blushed at the thought that came immediately to mind, but pushed it away. "Well, I...could just sleep on the couch. I bet it's still more comfortable than the submarine cots."

Adrian blushed slightly. "No... I'm supposed to be the gentleman, and that means you take the bed..."

Echo frowned. "Adrian, it's your bed. I'm not going to take it from you."

"You wouldn't be taking it, you know... I'm offering..." He shifted slightly, almost imperceptibly.

She smiled a little. "I know. And that's very sweet of you. But still, it's your bed."

Adrian looked up at the ceiling. "You made her this way, didn't You?" he asked of the Almighty, chuckling.

Echo frowned again and gave him a look. "And just what is that supposed to mean?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You're being stubborn again... Geez, Echo! I want to do something nice for you!" he grinned, even though he was frustrated with her.

She punched his arm, with the same strength of any man. "I can see that! But I don't like the idea of me pushing you onto the couch when it's your bed."

"OW!" he yelped, but managed a laugh because he knew she really didn't mean to hurt him. "Look, there has to be a compromise here. I don't want you to sleep on the couch..."

"And I don't want you to sleep on the couch," she replied. Again, she blushed lightly at the obvious compromise that came to mind.

"So... what do we do?" he wondered, face turning red at what would be the clear compromise.

"W-Well...we could always...um..." She covered her face with a hand to hide the prominent red on her face.

"Uh... Echo... uh... you're thinking the same thing I am, aren't you?"

"That...depends... Does what you're thinking include...us both using...the bed?"

Adrian's red face said it for him. "Look, uh... Echo... dang it... Neither my party animal nor philosophical facades will save me now," he groaned theatrically.

Echo laughed a little at that. "And it seems neither my tough nor serious facades will save me, either."

"Well... I don't want to push anything too soon. I mean... we know we're not brother and sister... So we're okay on that front... but we only really, you know... I am really acting different than my usual self here..."

"Well...that makes two of us. This wouldn't be like when we were kids, would it?"

"Well, we hardly did have bedroom sleepovers after we turned thirteen..." Adrian took a deep breath, pacing around for a moment. "Okay... so, if you're okay with this... I'm not going to use this to put you in any compromising position or try to touch your goodies, okay?" He held up his hands in a placating and surrendering gesture.

Echo's eyes went wide, and then, she couldn't help herself. She cracked up, holding her stomach as she laughed. "W-Wait, wait, wait.... What did you just call them?!"

"Goodies?" he repeated, sweat-dropping and grinning sheepishly.

She broke into another fit of uncharacteristic giggles. "Ha ha, I'm sorry, but... Adrian! I've never heard them called that! It's just...so YOU!!" The sailors she had worked with used terms that were far from as innocent as that one.

"Well, I think I got it from those Simpsons reruns when Marge met Homer in high school and he was begging her for a date," he explained, hanging his head a bit as his cheeks turned flame red.

She finally managed to calm down, and sighed. "Well, aside from that, I know you wouldn't try anything, Adrian. You don't have to assure me of that."

"Okay... just considering my reputation as a playboy, I only felt it fair to say that. And contrary to the press rumors, I haven't seen anybody," he stated, looking up to meet her eyes.

"Yes, Adrian, I know that too. I was basically your sister, remember?"

"Yeah... But... I'm glad we aren't because I would so be going to Hell right now!" he groaned.

She chuckled. "Well, we're not. So relax."

"Okay..." He headed into the bathroom with his pajamas and changed quickly, doing what he needed to do to be ready for bed. "Echo? Are you ready?" he asked through the bathroom door.

"Yeah! You can come out," she called. Echo had changed into a long-sleeved, emerald green nightgown. Her hair was down and framed her face, which had been cleaned of make-up.

Adrian had pulled on a plain emerald green t-shirt and plaid boxer shorts, so when he came out of the bathroom, he gulped. "Whoa... Echo..." 'Think unsexy thoughts!' his mind screamed at him, as he valiantly kept control of his hormones.

Echo blinked, blushing a little herself. It was mostly because Adrian looked cute in his boxers. "Something wrong, Adrian?"

"Uh... You are gorgeous in that... It really brings out your eyes..."

Her face burst into red. "Th-Thank you... You…look cute in your boxers, too."

"Uh..." He gestured at the big bed. "Ladies first?"

She smiled and climbed in under the covers, then patted the spot beside her. "Your turn."

Adrian grinned sheepishly and climbed in next to her. "This is a really soft mattress," he remarked.

Echo smirked. "It is...but are you just saying that because you're nervous?"

"Uh... maybe?" he answered in a voice about one octave higher than his normal voice.

She laughed a little and turned to face him, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. "Did I ever tell you how cute you are when you're nervous?"

Adrian felt like he was going to explode when she kissed him this time. "No..."

Echo smiled, taking his hand from under the covers. "Well, you are."

He took a deep breath and let it out. "Thanks, Echo... And... you are absolutely gorgeous... I'm glad I can tell you that..."

She blushed. "I am, too. And thanks... Now, how about we get some sleep?"

"Yeah... good idea," he answered, reaching over to the light switch.

"I've got it," she said, turning it off. They were bathed in darkness, aside from the moonlight drifting in through the glass doors.

The moonlight reflected off of Echo's pale skin and to Adrian, it made her even more beautiful. "Night, Echo..."

"Good night, Adrian..." Echo murmured, closing her eyes. And all was quiet.

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Back at the main building, Jaden sighed as he sat down in a plastic chair. He'd been up and down all day and had just helped get his friends comfortable in their beds. "Is the burn bed okay, Atticus?" he asked.

Atticus nodded, yawning. "Yeah, Jay... It's great..." he muttered sleepily. Alexis smiled and pecked Jaden on the cheek. "You were such a huge help, Jaden... You know, aside from already saving the world."

Tyson, sitting next to Rosa's sleeping form, smiled at his leader. "Sarge... we all owe ya... big time..."

"Guys... I just did what I had to do," the Slifer stated, light pink staining his cheeks.

"You're blushing, Jay," Alexis teased, poking the cheek she had just kissed.

"Well... like I said, I did what I had to do," he concluded.

"Jaden, Alexis, take a break. If I need help, I'll call you," Miss Fontaine smiled.

"Besides, I'm helping for the night shift," Dr. Crowler grinned, coming into the room in his blue cotton pajamas.

Alexis blinked and sweat-dropped. For some odd reason memories of Crowler in a wetsuit came to mind...and she hadn't even seen him! But Annie had told the story and even that had burned images into the Obelisk Queen's mind. "Uh, that's great, Dr. Crowler. Come on, Jay. Let's go take a rest..."

"Good idea, babe," Jaden answered. As they left the room, they heard Tyson singing softly, but loud enough that it permeated the room with warmth and love. "He doesn't sing too often," Jaden smiled after they left.

Alexis smiled as well. "No...Rosa's lucky to have someone like him. They fit each other."

"Yeah... We all found somebody... Hey, babe? Could we practice something tonight?" he asked curiously.

She blinked in surprise. "Practice what, Jay?"

"I...wanted to try carrying you over the threshold..."

Again, she blinked. "You mean...like when we do it after the wedding?"

"Yeah... so I don't drop you or something," he stated. Jaden was very worried about that.

Alexis laughed a bit. "All right. I don't mind if we practice a little."

"Okay." They got to the dorm and up the stairs to the second room, and Jaden tried swinging Alexis up into his arms. "Whoa, whoa!" he yelped as they fell backward onto the deck, Alexis on top of Jaden.

"Oof!" Alexis grunted as they hit the deck, literally. "Ah...Jaden!! Are you okay?!" she yelped, quickly pushing off of him.

"Urgh... Yeah, babe... I'm okay," he answered, still looking a bit stunned. "But... you are definitely stronger than me..."

She smirked. "Maybe. But you just have to take it slower. It's your first time...don't expect that you can just swing me up and carry me with ease."

Jaden chuckled lightly. "We'll try this later... unless you want to try carrying me?" he half-jokingly asked. Alexis's smirk grew. She got into a crouching position and slipped one arm under his armpits and the other under his knees. She then stood, lifting him up slowly until she was fully standing. Jaden's eyes bugged, feeling his fiancée's strong muscles under him. "Wow..."

Alexis laughed, carrying Jaden through the doorway. "I could always carry you over the threshold, Jay."

"Well, that'd... actually be fine with me," he admitted. "Babe, can I be brutally honest for a minute?" He wasn't sure she'd love this, or want to harm him. He hoped she loved it.

"Uh, sure, Jaden." Alexis was still carrying him, so if it did end up upsetting her, he was in a very bad position.

As they got in the room, he grinned sheepishly. "What you did is kind of a turn on..."

Her eyes bugged out this time, and she blushed as she stared down at him. "Excuse me??" She wasn't sure if she'd heard him properly, or couldn't believe she had.

Jaden was blushing too. "Yeah... I... like this... I like that you're so strong..."

Alexis's blush thickened. "Uh...I guess...that's good? I just...never expected you to...say something like that, Jay..."

He grinned sheepishly as they headed close to the big bed. "Well, we were supposed to be married next week... I guess I kinda grew up..."

She promptly dropped him on the bed, placing her now free hands on her hips. "Kinda? Compared to two years ago, you're a changed man."

"Huh?"

"Oh, come on, Jaden. Think about how much you've grown up over the past two years."

Jaden thought about it. "Yeah... Guess I have changed a bit. I mean... early in the first year... you liked me and... I just acted like you were a buddy..."

Alexis sat down beside him on the bed. "And you took everything way too lightly, in my opinion. You're a little more down-to-earth now."

"Yeah... well, you know why I acted that way... But I'm glad I grew up with you," he said, meeting her eyes seriously.

She smiled, placing her hand over his. "And I'm glad you made me lighten up a little."

He smiled back. "I'm glad you did..."

"Well, how about we get changed and get some sleep? I don't know about you, but I'm tired."

"Yeah... I'm dead on my feet," he admitted, tugging off his boots. And then he started to laugh.

She blinked. "Jaden??"

"Just remembering how that love letter ended up in Sy's locker! We never would've dueled like we did and I never would've said what I said to you! Remember?"

"Yeah. 'I think I'm in love.' Were you really? Or were you just saying that?"

"Well... I meant it... Because you dueled great and man, you were and are gorgeous..."

"Well, you were and are cute. So I suppose we're even."

"Yeah," he grinned, now getting his jacket and shirt off.

_Yeah, we know, it's a bit strange. Jaden found it a turn-on to be carried by his fiancée. But maybe on some level, he needed it. So those who were taken are back, and some are clearly the worse for wear. Next time, the group deals with more turmoil and turbulence. So tune in for "Bleeding Love." So until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	37. Bleeding Love

Chapter XXXVII: Bleeding Love

_Hello again, dear readers and welcome back to __**Darkness Falls**__. We're glad to see you all back again and we're glad you're excited to see how this all unfolds. As always, we're happy to see your reviews and know that you're still reading. Anyway, it seems we need to explain what happened in the duel between Jaden and Darkness in the 35__th__ chapter. __Darkness changes his mind on leaving the group in the dark. Though he knows he'll anger Satan, he serves both the ruler of Hell and God as the death-bringer. So, he is a neutral figure who listens to both authorities but also makes his own decisions. _

_Ani writes this about Darkness: __**Death is neither evil nor good. He can be called Darkness, only because he resides in Darkness. The Darkness of life and the Darkness of the heart. He is neither friend nor foe. He is the wise man of the Divines, second only to God in his knowledge. He is ever-patient and devoted to the strings of fate.**__ Within this chapter, Darkness explains his motives. We hope you enjoy the explanation as much as we enjoyed writing it._

_**Disclaimer: Please read the previous 208 chapters as to what we do and do not own. Thanks!**_

**WARNINGS: A rather gory nightmare sequence and two make-out scenes. Thank you for your attention.**

The campus became peaceful and calm as the celebrations of the students died down. The revelers were finally forced to their respective dorms by the teachers who half-heartedly restored order. Jaden drifted off to sleep in the arms of his love, thinking it would be a very long time before he saw Darkness again. But as he dreamed, he realized he was wrong.

_He found himself walking along the path in__the forest on a misty night. "Hello?" he called out, his voice echoing out. "Is someone out here?"_

_"I am, yet I am not. But then, you are here as well, yet are not. Neither of us is truly one or the other, Jaden Yuki. For this is a mere dream..." answered a familiar voice. It was deep and gruff, the tone grating on the subconscious like nails on a chalkboard. Red eyes seemingly appeared out of nowhere before Jaden, glittering like fiery rubies amongst the dark mist._

_"Darkness," the young man groaned in shock. "But... I defeated you... Why are you...?" And then the horrible possibility hit him. "Am I dying? Is that why you're here?"_

_The remainder of the fiendish reaper's body appeared; ancient bones wrapped in a shadowy cloak. His expression, if he had one, didn't change as he answered. "No. I have not come to lead your soul to Judgment yet, Jaden Yuki. I am here for a different reason." Darkness's eyes narrowed slightly. "As for your other question, the answer is simple. You did defeat me. That does not mean you destroyed me. One cannot destroy Death, just as one cannot destroy the Light One or the Dark One. I shall remain long after your bones have crumbled to dust."_

_"So... why are you here?" he asked, calming down a little._

_At this question, the Grim Reaper's demeanor seemed to become tense, suspicious, agitated. Bones rattled against one another beneath the confines of his tattered clothing. "I changed my choice on a decision given to me. I have again decided to go against the wishes of the Dark One in favor of the Light One. This is why I come to you now when this could have been said at the conclusion of our duel."_

_"Then Annie was right... You were working for the Devil," Jaden observed. "But why? Why did you do it?"_

_Again the reaper's bones rattled, though this time in a different tone. It was as if the rattling replaced human emotion, and this one sounded like surprise. "You misunderstand, mortal. My actions were not in favor of the Dark One. I have not decided in his favor for many years."_

_"But why did you do it?"_

_"The Light One came to me in my domain. We know what the future holds, up to the day of reckoning; the end of the world. He came to me with a proposition to push the odds of future events in the favor of or against evil. The Dark One came to me as well, commanding me to do only as I have been assigned and nothing more. This, you see, would keep the odds in favor of his evil intentions."_

_Jaden looked puzzled at this. "So... this was a test?"_

_"No. The Light One told me what I could do to change the odds, to move them more against evil. I am the Grim Reaper, Jaden Yuki. I am only known as Darkness because it is my domain, the Darkness of life and the Darkness within every heart. This is why only I could do what I have done. My intentions may seem to favor the Dark One to mortals, but in truth they move against him. Consider what has occurred from the events I pushed into motion, Jaden Yuki." A skeletal finger was pointed at the Slifer. "What has changed?"_

_Jaden took a deep breath and thought carefully. And then echoes of those who had been trapped and those who had not came to him. "I'm sorry for what I did and I want to be right again!" "Help me, Lord! Save me from eternal torment!" The voices of those who had a taste of eternal damnation and decided they would do whatever they must to avoid it came clearly now. _

_And Jaden realized. "They came back... and they won't forget. So... they've gone back to the good side, right?"_

_The slightest hint of a nod came from beneath the dark hood. "Darkness is a power of evil, and of good. It is evil if it is allowed to grow, if it is succumbed to, if it is ignored. It is good if it is acknowledged, if it is weakened, if it is overcome. It makes the heart, the mind, the soul, and the body stronger. It can no longer be used against you as an unnecessary weakness."_

_Jaden considered this carefully. "We know what sin is because we know what good is... We ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and even though that meant we were banished from the Garden of Eden, it also meant when we were out in the world and mortal, we could make good choices." Miraculously, the Slifer had paid attention in Sunday School._

_For some odd reason, the ghost of a pleased smirk could almost be seen on what was visible of the Reaper of Death's cracked skull. "You understand. You are stronger for what evil is to come. You will need every ounce of strength you have to defeat it, Jaden Yuki. You and the others. I have only appeared in this way to provide further warning."_

_Jaden's eyes widened with worry. "What's coming? Do I have to fight something bigger?"_

_But Darkness was already disappearing. "I may have already said too much. It is not my place to answer either of those questions. The Light One would tell you that he believes you are strong enough. The Dark One would tell you that the evil is too great for even you to defeat. I am only the Reaper of Souls. I am neither Light nor true Darkness. Neither good nor evil. Your fate rests in your hands, Jaden Yuki. And the hands of your friends."_

_"BUT... What am I fighting?!" _Jaden called out as the dream abruptly faded. He felt himself falling, and then he sat bolt upright in bed, terrified.

Alexis, startled out of her own peaceful slumber by the sudden jarring action, opened her eyes tiredly. "Jaden...?" Seeing his frightened stance and expression, she sleepily sat up and placed a soft hand on his arm. "Jay... what's wrong?"

The dream was fading, but he still remembered enough of it. "I... had a bad dream," he admitted.

She frowned. "You did? It... it wasn't... Darkness, was it?" she asked worriedly.

He hugged her close. "He... gave me a warning..."

She hugged back, relieved that Darkness hadn't appeared to her beloved in a frightening manner. "A warning...?"

He shuddered, still a bit frightened from it. "He said... something bad was coming... but he wouldn't go into specifics... Lex, I don't know how much more I can handle..."

Her frown returned, and she tightened her grip on him in response. "Something bad? So then... it's not over yet... Jaden, maybe it won't come for a while. He didn't say it would come right away, did he?"

If Alexis had had hope of there being a long break, it was about to be dashed. The Slifer shivered again in his red t-shirt and Kuriboh boxers. "It sounded... like it's gonna be soon... And Lex... I don't know if I can take whatever it is..."

Alexis ran her hand up and down his back soothingly, suppressing a shiver of her own. "Jay... you won't have to. You won't be alone when you face whatever it is. I'm here to help you, and so are the others. We'll fight whatever it is together..."

"What if it's you?" he asked softly.

She was startled by this. "What?"

"What if something happens to you?" he asked softly. "I... don't think I'm strong enough..."

She moved back enough to meet his eyes, shifting her hands up to his shoulders. "Jaden. You are strong enough for anything. After everything you've faced, even your own darkness, there's nothing you can't stand up to."

He held her to him, kissing her slowly, choosing to answer her that way. He did wonder if he could stand up to losing her. 'Could I live on without her?' he asked himself. He didn't want to think about that, but maybe he wouldn't have to. And so he chose to reaffirm her life and his, feeling her warmth.

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All over the school, the students and teachers that could drifted off to sleep, most everyone having the first good sleep they'd had in a long time. But up in the infirmary, the peace was about to be shattered. In one of the beds, Violet Haverbrook began to shake and moan.

Her hands clutched at the blankets, and sweat slowly began to bead her forehead. "No...I didn't...stop..."

_Within the layers of Violet's dream world, she found herself in the burned remains of a village. It was much like the one that Jaden had found himself in during his nightmare, except this one was also drenched in blood. Violet shook, eyes wide as tears ran down her cheeks. "No, stop! Stop hurting them!" _

_"Aw, but why? This is what they deserve. After all they did to you," cooed a voice, followed by the sound of a knife blade slicing through human flesh. A weak cry of pain rang out, only to be quickly silenced. Whoever the victim was had been greatly weakened and could not let out the bloodcurdling shriek she might have had she had the strength. It was followed by the sound of a body hitting the ground, and in the light of the moon it turned out to be none other than Annie Hanson. _

_"ANNIE!! Why are you doing this?! Who are you??" Violet shrieked, wanting to run and stop this madness but finding herself unable to move. And then, the figure stepped into the light, shocking Violet down to her very core. It was herself, but with blood red eyes and hands painted crimson. Her clone wore black combat boots, green cargo pants, a black tube top, and fingerless black gloves. "I'm you. But you can call me...Mary," she stated, grinning maliciously. Violet could only stare as her copy dragged Jaden Yuki into view by his blazer, a knife gripped in her free hand. He was struggling, but weak from his own injuries._

_"VIOLET?! What's going on? Who's this?!" And then he saw Annie's still form upon the ground, her face contorted by the last moments of her life. She had run from her attacker, and her last seconds had been of terror. Her blue eyes stared sightlessly up at the stars and blood dripped from the multiple wounds Mary had left. "ANNIE!!! HOW COULD YOU?!" he shrieked at Mary. "Violet! Help!"_

_"Jaden!! Hang on, I'm coming!" But as Violet moved to take a step forward, she found her mind suddenly shooting into the body of Mary. It was HER holding Jaden aloft. It was HER making a clear cut down his torso to open his shirt, even as he vainly struggled against her. It was his blood soaking HER hands. "Heh heh. Which side, which side? Such a lovely blank canvas," she found herself saying. And then her mind returned to its own body, and in pure shock she fell to her knees. "Wha...what..." Violet muttered, eyes wide. _

_Mary smirked, glancing at her green-eyed copy. "I told you already, Violet. I'm YOU. You can't get rid of me."_

_Mary released Jaden's body, which fell to the ground, a horrible, bleeding mess. His brown eyes were just as sightless as Annie's, and his face was just as indicative of the last seconds of his life. In fact... all around Violet and her dark counterpart were corpses, including that of a tall young man with gray eyes and now blood-matted dark hair._

_Violet only just noticed the corpses, having been focused on her still-living friends. Each body was more mutilated or disfigured than the last, signaling that her friends had been in horrible pain before death. And then, her eyes fell onto Bastion. "No...NO!! BASTION!!" Violet crawled over to his lifeless body, gasping at what she saw. _

_"You like it? I thought it would be the perfect punishment for not loving you," Mary said as she stepped up beside Violet. Bastion's heart had been grotesquely carved out of his chest, and all that was left was a gaping hole. _

_"How...how could you... I LOVE HIM!!" Violet yelled, glaring through her tears at Mary. _

_Mary only smiled, and held out a bloody lump. "And now you can have his heart at last. You should thank me," she stated, dropping the limp muscle and kneeling down. Mary wrapped a bloody arm around Violet, hugging her as the purple-haired girl dry-heaved in disgust. "I'm the only person you can trust to never leave you, Violet. And I'll kill anyone who hurts you...they will PAY in BLOOD." _

Mary's dark cackle echoed around the desolation, and back in the real world Violet abruptly sat up. She grabbed the trashcan beside her bed and promptly filled it with what remained of her dinner.

Bastion, in the bed right next to Violet's, sat up despite his pounding head and forced himself out of bed. "Violet," he groaned, stepping over to her and nearly collapsing with the effort. "Miss Fontaine!" he called out.

But she had heard Violet vomit and was already running to them. "Violet... oh, honey, what happened..? Bastion... you have to get back..."

"No... I have to... help Violet," he explained stubbornly. Violet coughed and gave dry heaves for another minute or so, before finally lifting up her head. She was as pale as the infirmary sheets; face sheen and glistening with sweat. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and just the sound made her want to throw up all over again.

The nurse calmly took the wastebasket from the sick girl and grabbed another one. "Here... take this if you need it, Violet. Just try to breathe..."

As she headed back between the rows of bed to clean out the basket, Bastion held Violet up. "D-Darling... what happened?" he asked weakly, his own body radiating heat.

Violet breathed heavily, forcing down her heart rate and the sick feeling still in her gut. "B-Bastion...it... She..." She closed her eyes tightly, remembering the blood. Her fingers gripped the basket tightly as she tried to sort it into words. "Blood...everyone dead...you... Love and your heart...gone... Mary..."

"You had a nightmare?" he asked softly. "And...who's Mary?"

She nodded, turning to bury her face in his chest. "I...I don't know... She said...she was me... Bastion," Violet moaned. "There was so much...blood..."

Bastion used what little strength he had left to wrap his arms around his love. And he fell back into the soft pillows with her. "Shh... it... was... a nightmare..."

Violet cried against him, just able to hear the sound of his beating heart. He wasn't dead, and his heart was still inside of him. Maybe it had just been a nightmare. "It... it felt so...real..." she whispered between sobs.

He was panting from the effort of having gotten out of bed and holding her. "I... know... I know... I'm here now... I'll... protect you... Somehow..."

Miss Fontaine returned quickly. "Oh, goodness... Violet, I have to move Bastion to his own bed... but maybe I can push your beds closer together. You feel like you're running a fever, too..." She checked the teens, clucking her tongue. "Violet, you have a slight fever, and Bastion... you're up to 103..."

Violet frowned, but nodded, wiping at her tears. "O-Okay... Bastion, go back to your bed. I'll be there in a second," she stammered.

Miss Fontaine moved the beds close together so at the very least, the couple could touch hands. She helped Bastion back into bed and tucked him in safely. "Violet... honey, can I get you something?" she asked as she helped the sick girl rinse her mouth out.

"Just...just some water..." Violet looked like she wanted something else, but was hesitating.

Miss Fontaine could tell the girl needed something else. "What is it, sweetie?" she asked. "Is there something else?" She poured a glass of water from a pitcher on the nightstand.

Violet looked away. "W-Well... If I had Tiffles, I...I'd be able to get back to sleep easier... But, he's all the way at Obelisk..."

"Hang on, honey," Fonda smiled. "I think someone knew about that..." She walked over to a cupboard and pulled out the fluffy stuffed Watapon. "Annie had Jasmine run and get Tiffles while you slept earlier today. She said she knew you'd need him along with Bastion to feel better."

Violet's eyes widened in surprise. "Annie, she... She knows me too well... I'll definitely need to thank her and Jasmine later," she muttered.

The nurse handed Violet the fluffy Duel Monster. "They're just so happy you're all right, honey. Annie was really depressed when you disappeared and then Bastion...I think Darkness could've used that if she hadn't figured how to turn the tables and give Jaden his shot."

Violet hugged the plushie close, frowning. "And when I finally get back...I push her away... I feel awful now that I'm not confused anymore... How could I be such a terrible best friend?"

"Violet... honey... what did you see in the World of Darkness?" Miss Fontaine asked as she worked to make Bastion comfortable.

Violet's head lowered, bangs covering her eyes. "I saw... Everyone leaving me...or calling me names... Like back at my old school... Or...Bastion saying he didn't love me...or turning into a guy like...Mike," she muttered, body shaking.

Fonda pulled the sad, frightened girl into a gentle hug. "I think Annie knows that that was probably what you saw. And she knew that you've been afraid of losing friends. She knew and she knows that you were influenced by that. You aren't a terrible best friend..."

"I...I'm not? But then... I must be a terrible fiancée, at least... After what I said to Bastion," Violet tried, glancing over at the resting teen.

"No... you aren't, and Bastion knows what you saw as well, I'm sure. He hated that he couldn't save you from it..." Fonda kept Violet in the loving hug. "He isn't angry..."

Slowly, a few tears dripped down onto the bed, as Violet's eyes slipped closed. "They...they don't hate me... Bastion...really does love me... They won't… they won't leave?"

"They aren't going to leave," Fonda soothed. "They all love you so much... and Bastion most of all..."

"I trust them...and I love him," Violet murmured. 'Then why do I still have this feeling?' she wondered, upset.

'Because you'll see that your trust only leads to more pain,' answered a dark voice within the recesses of her mind. 'I told you, Violet. You can only trust me...I never can and never will leave you...'

Fonda just held the girl close. "Think you can get back to sleep?" she asked softly.

Violet nodded, laying back down and keeping Tiffles close. With her free hand, she reached over and grasped Bastion's. "Y-Yeah..."

Bastion's breathing had been a little bit labored, but now, with his love holding his hand, he relaxed. "Okay, Violet... call me if you need anything," Miss Fontaine said gently, fixing the girl's blankets over her.

"Okay," Violet sighed and closed her eyes, hoping the bloody nightmare wouldn't haunt her for a second time.

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Morning came to the academy fairly quickly. Rather than have a normal day of classes, and since most of the school had missed the past week or so, Chancellor Shepherd declared one long day of study period. The announcement was made over the PDAs, so at 6 AM, Annie groggily picked up her PDA. "Sy... no classes," she grunted after she looked.

"Mmm...? That's good," he mumbled, face buried in the pillow. One of his arms was draped over Annie, and he reached out to turn off his beeping PDA with the other hand.

"Mmmhmmm... I like staying in bed," she muttered back.

"Me too... Let's stay in bed," he murmured tiredly.

She hugged him to her like he was a stuffed animal. "We had a long day yesterday..."

"We did..." He moved to hug her back, eyes still closed.

"Yeah...We could stay curled up like this," she suggested, eyes closed as well.

"I like that idea," he answered groggily.

She pressed as close as she could in her slightly groggy state. "Mmmhmmm," she muttered.

THRILLERTHRILLERTHRILLERTHRILLERTHRILLERTHRILLERTHRILLERTHRILLERTHRILLER

In another room in Obelisk Blue, Adrian Gecko, groggily awoke to his arms around the lithe and soft form of a young woman. 'Huh?' he wondered. Echo was still in the throes of sleep, eyes closed and long black hair framing her face. Her back was to Adrian, his arms clasped securely around her waist. Her own arms and hands rested comfortably on top of his. "Echo," he whispered in her ear, "wake up..."

She sighed softly, opening her eyes halfway. She could feel the unfamiliar presence of a warm body at her back and arms around her waist. "Adrian...?"

"Hey," he greeted back softly. "I guess we kinda... cuddled."

She blushed, opening her eyes fully. "I...guess we did. But then...it's your arms around me, Adrian..."

"Do you want me to move them?" he asked, not wanting to move if she didn't.

She smiled, pressing down on them with her own arms. "No. You don't have to move them..."

"M'kay," he murmured, closing his eyes. "So warm..."

She giggled softly. "You're warm too..."

The young man couldn't help but laugh a little. "You haven't giggled in forever..."

"Hmm, I haven't had a reason to," she replied simply.

"I like that you are," he stated seriously. "Do it more..."

"Well, for that you'll just have to make me," she countered softly.

"Hmmm... like this?" he grinned, moving his fingers to her belly and tickling her.

Her eyes widened and her expression did a complete 180, as she tried to stifle her laughter. "Th-That...won't work on me...Adrian..." He tickled a little harder in response. With that, her resolve broke, and out poured a waterfall of giggles. She grabbed at his hands in an effort to stop him. "Ha ha ha, Adrian! St-Stop, ha ha ha!!"

"No way," he grinned, redoubling his efforts.

She squirmed, laughter increasing as tears brimmed her eyes. It seemed like forever since she'd laughed a fourth this much. "ADRIAN!!" she gasped out between giggles.

"Try getting me back, I dare you!" he challenged, also laughing.

She contemplated punching him, but decided to try giving him a taste of his own medicine instead. Flipping around, her hands traveled up under his shirt and began tickling at his sides and tummy. "Now remember, you dared me!"

Adrian cracked up as she attacked. "Yeah... ha ha... I... hee hee... did!" he gasped, and laughed.

Echo grinned deviously, tickling harder. "Have a taste of your own medicine! Ha!" He was laughing so hard, he couldn't talk. So he moved his hands to her armpits and tickled as hard as he could. As such, a tickle fight ensued, both teens laughing their heads off at the other's actions. If any of their friends had been there, it would seem very, very out-of-character.

Finally, the tickle fight ended, and they were lying next to each other, out of breath. "Whoa..."

"How long...has it been...since we laughed...like that?" Echo asked between breaths.

"I...can't even remember," Adrian admitted.

"Neither can...I... But...it felt...good," Echo realized.

"Yeah," Adrian answered, smiling. "That... felt like flying..."

"Like we were...flying together..." Echo agreed, also smiling.

"Yeah... that was great..."

Echo rolled over so that she was partially on top of him, looking down to meet his eyes. "Just being with you....like this... Feels great."

"Yeah... Echo... I am so glad just to be with you..." She moved down, gently kissing him on the lips. It was only their second mouth-to-mouth kiss, but it was far less awkward. He closed his eyes, feeling more relaxed than last night. This felt right. Unsure of exactly what to do next or what would be appropriate, Echo waited to see if he would do anything. He put his arms around her, holding the kiss, but not pressing further. He would take things as slowly as she needed. Reassured, her hands rested on his chest as she pressed down a little, though her hesitance was obvious.

He released the kiss and murmured, "Tell me...what you want..."

She closed her eyes, keeping the short distance between their faces. This felt too good right now to end so quickly. "Just...kiss me again," she muttered back. So again he pressed his lips to hers, holding her close. He increased the pressure slightly, but not too much. She pressed back, wanting more and slightly surprised by her own actions. She blamed it on the pleasant buzz in her head and the tingling on her lips. Adrian, taking the signal, began rubbing her back. Echo sighed into the kiss, running her slim hands down his chest.

And then Adrian pulled back. His body had been sending him signals to go further, but his mind told him differently. "Echo... we... need to slow down," he panted. "You're beautiful... I don't want to rush..."

Echo opened her eyes, still dazed from the passionate kissing and disappointed that he'd stopped it again. But her brain, too, told her they needed to slow down. "You're right... That was...it was just...amazing..."

"Yeah... it was. You're amazing, Echo... And we have all the time in the world..."

"We do... At least one of us was thinking," she said wryly.

He sat up, still holding her. "Which one of us was?" he asked.

She blinked. "You, of course. You're the one who stopped it."

"Luckily," he admitted. "It was just lucky, really..."

"Well, I'm glad you were lucky. Who knows where that could have gone?"

"Yeah... and that might've spoiled it for us... I mean, yeah we've known each other for a long time and known we had feelings, but... we haven't acted on them until now..."

"Yeah... so we can wait. But now I understand how things can get out of hand so fast..."

"Yeah... Well, it didn't get further than we're ready for... So, let's get up and get ready, because Mom and Sid'll be here pretty soon," he grinned, thinking of how happy Sid would be upon seeing them both.

She returned the grin, sliding out of bed. "He's always wanted to see one of the Duel Academies."

"He was too sick to see East Academy," he sighed, getting out of bed as well. "But he'll get to see this one."

"Did you know he's started getting interested in dueling, Adrian?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered, smiling as he got his clothes out of the closet. "Sid's been asking me how to play when we've talked. And I've been trying to show him. He's really got potential."

"It's no wonder he wants to meet Jaden. I'll bet he'll want to see a few duels while he's here too," she agreed, going through her drawers.

"Yeah. And maybe... we can go cloud watching like we did back home..."

"I can come too, if you want. Unless it was going to be a brother outing."

Adrian thought about it. "You know," he said as he pulled on his clothes, having showered yesterday afternoon, after the battle was over, "I think it should be everybody... if they can."

Echo, too, had showered the day before, so she simply slipped into her clothes. She had brought what was on the submarine onshore, which included some casual clothes. So rather than her uniform, Echo slipped into some jeans and a red shirt. "You know, that's a good idea. It would let everyone unwind..."

"Yeah." And he looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "Echo... don't put your hair in that twist. I've got an idea!" He reached into one of his drawers and pulled out a bright red hair scrunchie and an elastic hair band.

"May I?"

She blinked and stared at the items in question for a few long moments. "Well..." Sighing, she sat down on a chair. "All right."

Adrian grinned softly and with the hairbrush Echo had brought, he combed her pretty, dark hair back and pulled it into a ponytail. Then he twisted the scrunchie around the ponytail. When he was finished, he led her to the mirror. "What do you think?"

Echo could only stare at the face looking back at her in the mirror. Compared to how she usually looked, she could have been an entirely different person. She had to touch the scrunchie to make sure it wasn't a trick mirror. "Wow..."

Echo did look a lot different. With the less severe hairstyle, she looked more relaxed and the scrunchie brightened her up. "You like it?" he asked eagerly.

She turned and smiled at him. "Yeah. How did you know it would work so well?"

"Just a hunch," he admitted. "And it's been a long time since you wore your hair like that. But you've never had a bright scrunchie..."

"Well, I used to... Before you came and when I was a little girl. Mom loved dressing me up," she explained, sweat-dropping.

"Well... I wish I could've seen it," he responded. "I've seen pictures, but I don't remember you getting dressed up too often."

"No...by then, I was too old for Mom to dress up anymore. And I was starting to take military lessons from tutors..."

Adrian put an arm around her. "Well, I think this looks... you... Not too frilly, but not too severe, either."

Echo grinned sheepishly. "I did look a little intimidating when I first came onshore, didn't I?"

"Being intimidating isn't a bad thing... You should see Alexis Rhodes when she's mad. Most of the academy runs for the volcano..."

"I could tell that girl and I had something in common. I was surprised that there were two army boys here as well."

The two talked a bit more and then headed downstairs for breakfast. Several jaws dropped in the Obelisk dining room at the sight of Echo. "Whoa," one boy remarked to a girl. "Did we get a supermodel in here?!"

"I wish I had a face like that! She must get all the cute guys," whispered a girl to her friends. Echo blushed at the looks she was getting. She may have been tough, but when it came to her looks, she was easily embarrassed.

"Just enjoy it," Adrian whispered to her. "Put some of Captain Echo into your walk. You look great and you're confident."

"You're not the one being stared at by most of the people in the room," Echo whispered back snappily. This was exactly the reason she preferred hiding her looks.

"I know... but you are the most gorgeous woman in the room, and you can't blame them for staring at a priceless work of art..." Okay, so that wasn't exactly the best line, but it was what Adrian felt.

Echo barely suppressed a laugh. "Adrian, that was very sweet, but also very cheesy."

He did laugh. "Yeah, definitely cheesy. At least it wasn't the sand line..."

She smirked. "Now for that, I would have been forced to punch you."

He grinned wickedly. "Can you blame the poor guy, though? He lived in a place where you never hear pick up lines... The Jedi can't marry, remember?"

"Yeah, well... I'm glad neither of us are Jedi, then," she replied, taking his hand.

"Me, too..."

"Hey, guys!" Annie called happily as she and Sy entered the room. "Echo! Wow! You look awesome!"

Again, Echo blushed. "Thanks..."

"You look great, Echo. The red scrunchie looks nice in your hair," Syrus added, smiling.

"So, is everyone down at Slifer that can be down there?" Adrian wondered.

"We just put in a call to Jaden. He and Alexis just woke up and they'll eat down there with Blair. Mindy and Jasmine had breakfast early this morning and headed straight to the infirmary. Good thing we're having a study day... They're even pushing graduation back a week so we can make up what we missed," Annie explained.

"Well, Adrian and I called home last night. Mom and Sid will be coming here for a while... We think it'll help," Echo explained, smiling.

"Yeah. They need to get out of the house," Adrian added, sobering a bit. All four did.

"Morning, guys," Axel called out as he, Jim and Jesse came in from the boys' dorm.

"Hey," Adrian greeted back.

The three boys hardly recognized Echo. "Wow, is this the same Sheila, Adrian?" Jim asked as they sat down.

Jesse grinned. "Gee, Echo. You look really beautiful. You're a lucky guy, Adrian."

Adrian grinned back. "I know..."

The group headed down to Slifer together for breakfast. "Morning, guys!" Jaden greeted from his seat next to Alexis. "We got Danishes!" he announced, holding up a pastry.

"Among other things, of course. Jaden's just excited about the sugar," Alexis added, laughing a bit, holding a cherry Danish.

"And I'm glad I don't have to save the world this morning, babe," he countered. "Dang... No Violet... I was hoping to challenge her to an eating contest..." And then he looked at Jesse, a competitive glint in his big brown eyes. "You game, Jesse?"

Jesse blinked in surprise, then grinned, the same glint in his blue-green eyes. "Sure thing, Jay! I'm always up for an eating contest!"

"Oh, brother... Somebody get the stomach medicine. They're both going to need it," Annie sighed.

"Does this happen a lot?" Echo asked curiously.

Adrian groaned softly. "You might say that... At least Violet's in the infirmary. She rivals if not beats these two..."

Echo sweat-dropped. "Can't they just eat a simple breakfast like the rest of us?"

Jaden looked up from his small pile of Danish quarters. "No."

Jesse grinned sheepishly. "Normally, I don't mind a normal breakfast. But I just love a challenge!"

Axel sighed, laughing a little as he dug into his breakfast. "At least it isn't boring around here."

"Was it boring at West Academy, Axel?" Syrus asked.

"Yeah... It was pretty quiet most of the time. There were a lot of serious guys there," he stated in his usual serious demeanor.

"Gee, never woulda guessed," Jesse muttered, glancing away. Annie couldn't help it and started to laugh. Syrus and Alexis joined in, and pretty soon most of the group had cracked up.

Axel smiled a bit. "I'm definitely the straight guy here, Echo... in case you couldn't tell."

Echo smirked. "No, I could tell. You're more serious than a lot of sailors I've worked with."

"It's how my dad trained me," the young man shrugged.

Everyone ate up-- miraculously, Jaden and Jesse were none the worse for wear-- and then they heard the whir of helicopter rotor blades. "They're here!" Adrian stated with a smile. "Echo, relax!"

"I am!" Echo countered indignantly.

"Okay, okay. You're just doing the thing with your eyebrow that you always do when you're on edge..."

She blinked. "What thing??"

"Your right eyebrow twitches..."

"It does?"

Adrian nodded. "You're not even aware you're doing it..."

Echo sighed. "Well, from now on, tell me if I am."

"Okay," he answered and the two headed down to the landing pad while the rest of the group headed up to the infirmary. "Hey, Mom! Hey, Sid!" Adrian greeted when Rachel and Sid got out of the helicopter.

"Hey, you two! Echo, my goodness! Sweetie, you look darling!" Rachel grinned, coming up to give her elder children hugs.

Echo smiled as she hugged Rachel. "Thanks, Mom... Adrian helped."

"ADRIAN! ECHO!" Sid cheered happily, crashing into the family hug.

Adrian lifted Sid into his arms and twirled him around a little. "Man, I think you've been eating more cookies, little man! You feel heavier!" he said cheerfully. It was a little joke between the brothers, as for part of his short life, Sid had been a frail and thin child.

Sid laughed. "The doctor says I've grown a whole lot, big brother!"

"Yeah, I can tell. Have you still been playing tennis?"

"Yeah! And I've gotten really good! I almost beat Mommy last time!"

"He did. He came very close," Rachel smiled, dressed in an emerald green top and jeans. Her dark hair was pulled back with a headband, and there was no doubt that Echo got her grace and beauty from her mother. As the boys talked, Rachel fell into step next to her daughter. "Honey, I like the new look, and did you say Adrian helped with it?"

Echo nodded. "Yeah, he came up with the idea for my hair... I decided to dress casual today, and I guess it gave him the idea."

"I don't remember you having a red scrunchie," Rachel stated. "Was that from Adrian?"

"Yeah...I don't know why he had it, though."

"Well, I'm glad he did. Honey, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine, Mom. What about you?"

Rachel's face showed the strain of the past two days. "Honey, I'd be lying if I said I was okay. It's been hard. I'm just glad I've had Sid with me, or I couldn't have stood the pain..."

Echo turned and pulled her mother into a hug. "We're here now, Mom, if you want to talk... We should work out the pain we're feeling together..."

Rachel wordlessly hugged back, glad she had her daughter. And then, she felt two more pairs of arms. "It's all right, Mom... we're here too," Adrian added.

"Yeah, Mommy. We wanna help too," Sid agreed.

"So where is everyone?" Rachel asked after a long moment and they had released their hug.

"Everybody's either studying or up at the infirmary. Our friends, two Ras, three Obelisks and a Slifer are up there, Mom," Adrian explained.

"Are they hurt, Adrian?" Sid asked, frowning.

"Yeah, they're all sick, Sid. And one boy got hurt helping his big brother," the older boy answered gently.

"He did?" Sid knew that he would help his big brother no matter what, even if he got hurt.

"Yeah, he did. I saw it happen. Chazz wanted to help Atticus and that was all that mattered to him. I know how that feels," Adrian answered, ruffling his brother's brown mop of hair.

"Wait... Chazz Princeton?" Rachel asked as they walked.

"Yeah, but it's Chazz Rhodes now."

"He loves his new brother, huh?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Adrian answered. "They fit together. It's really something..."

"So...it's like how big brother is part of our family?" Sid asked.

"Kind of like that, kid," Adrian answered. Rachel sighed, wondering how in the world she would explain to Sid what had really happened.

The Geckos arrived at the infirmary a few minutes later to see the gang studying and helping their friends. "Hi, you must be Mrs. Gecko. I'm Fonda Fontaine. I'm the school nurse," the teacher greeted cheerfully.

"Please, call me Rachel. I'm glad to meet you too. Adrian's told me a lot about you in his letters home..."

"That's good," Fonda answered with a smile.

"You're a nurse?" Sid asked, holding his mother's hand.

Fonda knelt down to the small boy's level. "Yes, I am and I'm also a teacher here. Adrian told me he had a cute little brother. And that means you must be Sid..." She held out her hand for the boy to shake.

He shook it. "You're a teacher too? Wow..."

"Mmmhmm... Now, Adrian says you spent a lot of time with doctors and nurses at hospitals, am I right?"

Sid nodded seriously, a slight sadness in his brown eyes. "I was sick a lot."

"Well," she said with a significant look at Rachel, "maybe you'd like to help these big kids here feel a little better, Sid. Would you like to?"

He grinned eagerly. "Yeah! I wanna help!"

"Okay, Sid, then you're a special helper," Fonda grinned.

Just then, Belowski came walking down between the rows of beds with some wet washcloths. "Miss Fontaine! I got 'em."

"Oh, good, Belowski, sweetie, put them in the laundry hamper. And you have an assistant," she smiled, gesturing at the six-year-old boy.

"Hey, dude, I'm Belowski... you've got good vibes," the 14-year-old grinned, shifting the towels and shaking the smaller boy's hand.

Sid blinked. "Vibes??"

"That means he feels good when you're around," Adrian translated.

"Oh." Sid smiled up at the boy who was only a head or so taller than him. "I'm Sid. I'm glad I can make you feel good."

"You'll have to meet my monster crew. Can you see 'em, little dude?" Belowski asked as they walked over to the laundry hamper.

"You mean your imaginary friends?" Sid asked, pointing at Happy Lover.

"They're real, little dude. We can all see 'em!" Belowski grinned eagerly.

Sid frowned, looking down. "But...Daddy said they were imaginary friends and that I should stop playing with them..."

"They're real, little dude, just as real as you or me!" Belowski grinned. "In fact, the court said it was real!"

Sid's eyes widened, his brown bangs trembling a bit. "They did?"

"Yeah. When Chazz got hurt last summer and when his big brother testified, he had to tell how Jaden knew Chazz was in trouble. Chazz's duel spirits told Jaden Chazz was in trouble."

"Oh! Then does that Dream Clown can come out?" Sid only had a few duel spirits since he didn't have a full deck yet. But Dream Clown was his main spirit that he'd been forced to talk with in secret because of his father.

"Yeah, little dude! Bring him out!" the hippy boy encouraged, sensing a joyful spirit about to come out.

"Out? Well, it's about time! Hee-hee-hee!" stated a silly-sounding voice as a spirit about the same size as Sid appeared. He wore the red-and-yellow polka dot outfit of a clown with a matching hat over his purple hair, a dark blue cape, and a sky blue scarf. Two buggy green eyes and a jagged mouth made up his face, like a scarecrow. "Hey there! Nice ta meet'cha! Dream Clown's the name, fun and jokes are my game!! Hee-hee-hee!"

Chazz, lying in his bed, groaned. "Not another one..."

"Boss, he's not in your deck!" Ojama Yellow explained helpfully.

"Yeah, yeah, I know..."

Dream Clown grinned, floating with his legs crossed Indian-style beneath him. "Yo! Ojamas, long time no see! Where ya been?"

"We've been with this guy!" Ojama Black grinned, sitting on Chazz's head. "The boss is great to us now! He gets crabby sometimes, but it's okay. His new brother fits perfect with us!"

"Yeah, Atticus loves us!" Ojama Yellow squealed.

"And he helps us cheer the Boss up when he's down!" Ojama Green added happily.

"Oh! A joker, huh? I gotta meet this guy! Hee-hee-hee!"

Sid grinned. "Dream Clown is the best! He always made me laugh when I was sad!"

Chazz sat up in his bed. "These three may be morons, but they're my morons, and... they do make me laugh!"

The three Ojamas looked at Chazz with worship in their eyes. "WE KNEW YOU LOVED US, BOSS!" they squealed, hugging him.

"OW!" the young man howled in pain.

"Oh, they overdid it again! Ojamas, I still need to fix your mistakes, huh? Hee hee hee!" Dream Clown floated over to the obviously pained Chazz and tapped the boy's forehead. "There! That should help! Hee hee hee!!"

"Hey... that feels... good," Chazz said muzzily. "Real nice..." He laid back down on the bed and fell asleep.

"Nice job, Dream Clown. No wonder the little dude likes you so much!" Belowski complimented.

"Yeah! Dream Clown's the best!" Sid stated, grinning.

Dream Clown laughed and floated back over to Belowski, except he was floating upside down. "You have a good feeling too. You can make people fall asleep, right?"

Belowski nodded. "Yeah, Dream Clown... I've always known how to do that... And if I duel people, they fall asleep... Except for Jaden!"

"Ah, interesting! Sid! You've made some interesting new friends!! Hee hee hee!" Dream Clown said happily.

"I know! Belowski, is Jaden here? I want to meet him!" Sid asked excitedly.

Jaden came down from Violet and Bastion's bed at that moment. "Hey, guys. They're still sleeping... Adrian... is this your mom? And this is Sid, right?"

"Yeah... Mom, this is Jaden Yuki. Jaden, this is my mom, Rachel Gecko."

"Nice to meet you," he said, shaking her hand.

"Such a nice boy... thank you for saving us, dear."

"Just doing my job," he answered. "And you must be Sid," Jaden smiled. "Hi!"

Sid was as excited as if he was meeting one of his favorite cartoon characters. "Wow! So you're Jaden? Adrian told me about you! You always win your duels!"

"Well, almost always," Jaden admitted as Belowski tossed his dirty cloths in the hamper. "I've lost a few... but that's how you learn."

"Really? Daddy said you should always win," Sid replied, frowning in obvious confusion.

"Well, it's what my dad taught me," Jaden answered.

"Sid... he's right," Adrian explained. "Sometimes you have to lose."

"Oh... So, when I lose at tennis, it's okay?" Sid asked.

"Yeah, it's okay, honey," Rachel answered. "I just care if you do your very best..."

Sid smiled. "Okay, Mommy! Jaden, Miss Fontaine said I could help too!"

"Great! You'll do great! Adrian and Echo helped a lot yesterday... And you've been in hospitals so you know how to help," the Slifer grinned. "And I'll bet you can cheer Atticus up..."

"I can! And Dream Clown will help! Right, Dream Clown?" Sid asked, grinning at his spirit.

The clown laughed and gave a thumbs-up. "Of course, of course! Hee hee hee!"

"Okay... I think Atticus could use some cheering up," Jaden said, pointing toward one curtained bed area. Together he, Belowski and Sid headed in. "Hey, Atticus, feeling any better?" Jaden asked.

Atticus sighed. "Hey, Jay. Nope. Still just as itchy and tender as the last time you checked. It's so...aggravating!" He then blinked, seeing Sid and Dream Clown. "Jaden, who are they?"

"This is Sid," the Slifer grinned, indicating the small boy. "And this cheerful guy is Dream Clown!"

"Hi, Atticus! I'm Adrian's little brother," Sid added, waving.

Atty managed a smile. "Hey, Sid. Hi, Dream Clown."

"We're here to cheer you up!" Sid explained, grinning.

"Yeah! And chill out! Hee hee hee!!" Dream Clown laughed, as a frosty wind flew out of his sleeves.

Atticus sighed again, but for a different reason. "That feels nice..."

Belowski stepped up to Atticus. "Debriding treatment done, big dude?"

"Yeah. I guess I'm a little less itchy, but now it hurts more if I move too much," Atty explained.

"Wanna sleep for a bit?" Belowski asked kindly.

"Yeah, that would be nice..."

"I can help with that! Unless you wanted to do it," Dream Clown stated, looking over at Belowski.

"Wanna tag team, Clown dude?" Belowski asked eagerly.

"Now that sounds interesting! Let's do it!" the spirit agreed, grinning.

Belowski took a deep breath and began to draw on his powers. "Okay, Clown dude. Take my hand and help Atticus..." Dream Clown passed his hand through Belowski's, and used his own power to increase the teen's natural abilities. "All right, Atticus, take some deep breaths and just let yourself relax..."

"Okay..." Atticus closed his eyes, clearing his mind as he breathed in and out. Belowski could never tell how he did it, exactly, but when he thought of helping Atticus, he sent the image of a small boy being rocked in a pair of warm arms. It was the most comforting image in his mind. And within seconds, Atticus was asleep. Normally, it would take minutes, but Dream Clown had helped shorten the time. "Whoa... never done it that fast," Belowski murmured in awe.

Mokey Mokey appeared, clearly surprised. "Mokey Mokey..."

Dream Clown chuckled, lying back in mid-air like he was on a couch. "They don't call me DREAM Clown for nothin', ya know! One tap and you're out like a light! Hee hee hee!!" Sid grinned. "Dream Clown's the greatest! He was my first Duel Monster card."

"Mine was Mokey Mokey," Belowski stated, the pillow-like monster behind him.

"Jaden, what was your first Duel Monster?" Sid asked, turning to the brunette.

"Well, my very first duel spirit was Oscillo Hero," Jaden answered as a little creature with a green computer chip ball for a body and a golden ball for a head, wearing a cape appeared.

"Hi, Sid! Nice to meet you!" Oscillo Hero greeted.

"Hi, Oscillo Hero! You look so cool!" Sid greeted back, grinning.

"Thanks! Glad to see you again, Jaden!" Oscillo Hero stated.

"Ditto, Oscillo! My mom got him with my first pack of cards. I was about 2 when I got my first deck!"

"Wow! I only got my first cards last year!" Sid stated in awe.

"I just liked dueling really early," Jaden grinned sheepishly, rubbing his neck. "And then I got a lot of other friends too... Some of 'em might look kinda scary, but they're awesome friends!"

"I only have a few Duel Monsters cards right now. And only a few monsters," Sid admitted.

"Well hang onto them, Sid, and they'll be your best friends," Jaden stated. "Right, Belowski..? Belowski?" The hippy boy had seemingly frozen in place.

Sid stared at the short teen, blinking. "Belowski??"

"Where's... where's my mommy?" the dark haired boy asked, sounding lost and much younger.

"Huh?" Sid asked, confused. Dream Clown frowned, able to sense what was going on. "This ain't good..."

"Mokey Mokey?" Belowski's own duel spirit asked his friend. Happy Lover too purred at her master.

"Belowski?" Jaden called.

"I want my mommy... I don't know where she is," the boy stated again. His big gray eyes had a sad and yet horrifying look, as if his mind was somewhere else.

"Sid... go get Miss Fontaine, okay?" Jaden asked. "It's really important..."

"Um...okay!" Sid turned and ran out of the curtained area. "Miss Fontaine!"

Miss Fontaine was having a nice chat with Rachel, Echo and Adrian when Sid came running. "Sid, what is it?" she asked, taking in the boy's frightened brown eyes.

"Something's wrong with Belowski! Come quick!" he explained.

Fonda got up fast and raced down to Atticus's cubicle where Jaden was still trying to get a reaction from the other teen. "Belowski... Come on, man, you're scaring me... Miss Fontaine... he just froze and he says he wants his mom."

She moved close to the small Obelisk, kneeling down. "Belowski? Sweetie, what's wrong?"

He looked at her, uncertain. But he seemed to recognize her in that haze. "Mommy? Mommy, where were you?" he asked in that same childlike voice.

"Belowski... it's Miss Fontaine, don't you remember?" she asked him.

He blinked in confusion. "But... you look like Mommy..." Fonda's eyes widened in shock.

"Jaden...what's going on?" Sid whispered, confused.

Jaden's eyes were wide too. "I don't know... he doesn't have a mom or dad. He was left here when the school opened. He's been here since he was about three, apparently, and nobody knows about his parents."

"Then...why is he calling Miss Fontaine his mommy??" Sid muttered, even more confused.

"Maybe... maybe she's like his mom," Jaden realized.

As he said this, Belowski blinked again, coming out of the trance. "Miss Fontaine? What happened? I thought..." And then something that had never happened as far as Jaden knew happened. Belowski hugged the nurse and began to cry.

"Oh, sweetie... shhh... It's okay," Fonda soothed, hugging him close.

"Belowski...? Are you okay?" Sid asked slowly, worried.

"Give him some space, Sid," Jaden said softly, walking the boy out of the space. Hearing Belowski cry like this disturbed the Slifer, and he wanted to help. But somehow he knew this wasn't an area he could help.

"What happened?" Adrian asked as the Slifer brought his brother back to him.

"Something happened with Belowski, big brother," Sid answered, frowning.

"Jaden?" Echo asked, blue eyes narrowing with concern.

"I think... he remembers his mom... and maybe what happened to her," Jaden offered.

"His mother?" Rachel asked, as Sid came over to her for comfort.

And Jaden told them what he knew. "...So he didn't seem to remember his parents, but now... maybe he does..."

Echo frowned. "Something may have triggered a memory... But that doesn't mean he still remembers it now."

"Yeah... He just acted confused and called Miss Fontaine Mommy," Jaden stated. "Annie's better at figuring out this psychological stuff..."

"Annie?" Rachel asked.

"It's that girl I told you about over e-mail, Mom, when I first got here in the fall and then asked you guys to have Rabbi Kleinman pray the Mi Shebeirach for," Adrian reminded her.

"Oh, that girl who was so sick... Yes, I remember, Adrian."

"She's probably with Violet and Bastion. We can ask her about Belowski..." Echo said thoughtfully.

As it happened, Annie was already stepping out of the cubicle. She looked more than a bit worried, and had left for some fresher air. "Oh, hey, guys," she greeted. "I thought I heard something..." Jaden quickly explained what was going on to her. "It... sounds a little like a flashback. He may be starting to remember or he might never remember it all," she said thoughtfully.

"Annie?" Sid asked from beside his mother, looking up at the girl. "Is Belowski gonna be okay?"

"I think so... He's just got to let it come out, Sid... like Adrian and Echo let their stuff out..."

"Okay... can I help?"

"Sure," Annie answered. "You have a duel spirit, don't you?"

Sid nodded, brown eyes determined. "Yeah. Dream Clown!"

Said spirit appeared, grinning. "How can I help?"

"Stay close... You may be needed to get Belowski to laugh."

"All right! Laughter, aside from dreams, is my specialty! Hee hee hee!!"

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Things soon managed to settle down with Belowski, thanks to Miss Fontaine and Dream Clown calming him down again. But all was not right in the infirmary, as Violet made her way to the bathroom. After she'd finished using it, she stood in front of the mirror. She stared at her reflection for a time, and then reached up a hand to touch it. However, Violet gasped and barely suppressed a scream at what she saw. Blood. Her hands were covered in it, but only in their reflection. Positively mortified, Violet quickly turned on the faucet and scrubbed her hands with soap. She lifted them back up, but in the mirror the blood was still there. Desperate and confused, Violet did this two more times with no change. However, on the fourth try, she came face-to-face with red eyes in the mirror. Her scream was silenced by pure shock.

"Hello, Violet. Miss me?" asked her reflection.

"I-It's...you... B-But...it can't be... It was just a nightmare...M-Mary..."

"Oh, but I'm very real, Violet. And don't worry about the blood, you'll soon get used to the feeling."

Violet stumbled back, closing her eyes tightly. "N-No...go away! Leave me alone!!"

"But I can't go away, Violet. As I said before...I'm YOU."

"No...stop...GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!" Violet screamed, reaching up to clutch her head in her hands. She fell back against the wall, sliding down it with tears brimming her eyes. She could practically hear Mary's evil laughter ringing in her ears.

Annie heard the scream and raced into the bathroom. "Violet?! Violet what happened?" she exclaimed, eyes wide and worried. "Who was in your head?"

Violet sat, shaking hard and sobbing as her hands moved to cover her face. "A-Annie.... I-I'm sorry... I-I tried...I-I tried to st-stop her... Don't leave m-me," she moaned between breaths.

Annie moved to hug her friend. "Stop who?" she asked. "I'm not leaving you... I'm right here..."

Violet instantly clung to her like a frightened child, crying into her shoulder. "M...ma...mar..." She wanted to say it, to say the demon that haunted her every waking hour's name. But she couldn't bring herself to say it, as if something were holding her back. 'Not yet,' growled a voice in her mind.

"It's going to be okay, Violet... Let's get you back to bed... You're all sweaty again," Annie murmured, keeping her in the hug.

"O-Okay... I-I'm sorry, A-Annie," Violet stammered again, feeling as if she couldn't apologize enough.

"Don't apologize, Violet... It's okay... Whatever's bothering you... I'm here..." She helped Violet to her feet and led her back to the cubicle she shared with Bastion.

He was awake at this point and looked up. "Violet? Darling, I heard you scream," he said weakly, mentally cursing that he didn't have the strength to sit up on his own.

She sniffled a bit, wiping at her eyes. "I-It's okay, Bastion... I-I'm fine now... Th-Thanks, Annie..."

"No problem," Annie said gently, helping her back into bed. "Bastion, take it easy..."

"What happened? That... Violet... you're not all right," he groaned, trying to draw strength from his very low reserves.

"I-I'm fine," Violet stated, a bit harshly. She couldn't help it; she felt like talking about Mary would only bring her out again.

"Violet... please let me..." Bastion began, trying to fight through his weak state.

"Bastion... take it easy," Annie pleaded with him. "You're pushing too hard..."

"She's... she's not..." He was exhausted again and panting.

Violet frowned, looking over at him. "Bastion, please, relax... You're making yourself worse..."

"You... have to... be all right... darling," he groaned tiredly as Annie went for another cool, wet cloth to wipe the sweat off him.

"Bastion, I can help... you don't have to..."

"Yes, I do," he stated, eyes worried. "I've failed her so much..."

"No, you didn't..." Annie felt like she was trying to reason with a brick wall, and yet she kept trying.

"Annie's right, Bastion. You haven't failed me once. Please stop thinking that way," Violet added, worry etched into her tone and expression.

Bastion was too tired to argue and let Annie pat his face. "How about we talk about something else?" the teen doctor-in-training asked, smiling as he started to drift off to sleep. "There he goes... He's sleeping, Violet..."

Violet sighed in relief, falling back against her pillows. "Good... I hate that he feels that way... He never failed me," she muttered sadly.

"That's what the Darkness used against him. Bastion's your love and your protector," Annie said softly as Bastion's breathing became relaxed and soft. "Darkness knew Bastion wished he could stop you from being hurt... He'll have to fight it when he's stronger... We have to have all of us better for the wedding..."

Violet looked away, frowning. "All of us..." Of course she knew that included herself. But she was so worried something might happen before then...or even during it.

"It's going to be a few weeks, Violet," Annie soothed as if reading her mind. "We all need time to recover now... And we'll be able to stay here."

Unfortunately, that made the purple-haired girl even more worried. Weeks gave Mary plenty of time to torment her or do whatever it was she was planning. "A-All right..."

"It'll be all right, somehow, Violet," Annie murmured again. "Now just lie down and relax, okay?"

"Okay," Violet sighed, trying to allow her body to unwind as she closed her eyes.

"Want me to sing a little?" the brunette asked gently.

"Y-Yeah...that would be nice..."Annie sang a song about close friendship and how she would always be there no matter what. The song was called "Nothing at All," and it was from the US version of Sailor Moon. The song comforted Violet, banishing all worries from her mind for the time being. About halfway through the song, she dozed off into a peaceful sleep.

Annie finished the song, and Dr. Crowler, who'd been listening, poked his head into the cubicle. "Annie... They're asleep now... It's late... and your fiancé is waiting for you. He came up after dinner..."

Annie looked up. "Dinner?! Oh my gosh!" she gasped. "Did I forget to eat?"

"You haven't had dinner yet?" the gangly instructor inquired, now growing concerned.

"No, sir," she admitted shamefacedly.

Syrus, who'd been behind Dr. Crowler, pulled back the curtain and held up a bag. "It's okay, Annie. I saved you something from dinner to eat..."

"Oh, thanks, honey," she said, walking up to kiss him.

"Annie, go... and get some rest again," the teacher instructed.

"Yes, sir... you'll call me?"

"Of course... Go now..."

The couple said good night to the instructor and headed out again. "I keep forgetting to eat dinner," she sighed.

"It's okay, Annie. You've been so busy helping out in the infirmary... I'll remember to save dinner for you," he replied reassuringly.

She shifted a little as she walked holding her lower back. "Oooh... I've been standing too long..."

"After you're done eating...do you want me to give you a back rub? I m-mean, I've never done it before, but... I can try. I want to make you feel better," Syrus explained, blushing a little.

"That sounds nice," she smiled tiredly. They got back to their room and Annie ate her dinner. Then, in their bedroom, she turned on a few flameless candles for atmosphere and stretched out across the bed clad in blue underwear with moon crescents on the fabric. "Ready," she murmured.

Syrus blushed, wearing a sky blue shirt and indigo boxers with steering wheels on them. "U-Uh, okay," He mumbled as he crawled up onto the bed, getting behind her. This position only made Syrus get even redder, but he tried not to think about it and focus on the back rub. He started at the base of her spine, where she had felt sore earlier.

Annie hadn't really thought about just being in her panties because she didn't want to risk him getting lotion on her nightgown. Now, as his hands moved on her back, though, her body tingled. "Mmmmm," she murmured. "That's so nice..."

"S-So...I'm doing it right?" he asked. Syrus kneaded up and down her spine, unwinding the bundles of nerves there.

"Yeah," she sighed, her thoughts getting pleasantly fuzzy. He moved to her shoulders and neck, kneading into the muscle with his thumbs and fingers. The contact was doing something to her. "Oooh... that feels good," she moaned softly.

He flushed slightly, liking that sound. "I-It does?"

"Yeah... d-don't stop..."

"O-Okay..." Syrus continued massaging her back, neck, and shoulders, still red and starting to feel a bit fuzzy. Annie's face was red as well, but Sy couldn't see that at the moment. But he could likely feel her breathing pattern altering. She was beginning to pant a bit, and was feeling incredible. "A-Annie?" Syrus stammered, feeling his own heart start to speed up.

"Wh-what?" she asked, shivering, anticipating... she didn't know what.

"A-Are you...okay...?" he answered with a question.

She turned a little bit to look at him, and stated, "More than all right..."

He swallowed, getting the burning feeling inside of him that he always got when they became... intimate to a degree. He moved down, capturing her lips in a kiss they both wanted. Her heart was beating fast as she kissed him hard. Their position was such that he was on top, and it felt good to her. She opened her lips, inviting him in. He wasted no time in letting their tongues play together, running his hands down her sides. Being on top felt just as good to him as it felt to her.

Her body was sending her signals that this... whatever it was they were doing felt very good, but her mind suddenly realized something. "Mmmm... honey... what are we..?"

He was panting, and he looked at her in confusion. "Annie..? What...?"

Her body was screaming at her that they should continue, but fortunately, her mind was coming back online. "Sy... that felt so good... but... we... shouldn't..."

And it seemed that his mind finally clicked as well, for he gasped and instantly moved to the other side of the bed. "O-Oh... we... we almost..." He knew that was getting too friendly, too fast.

She sat up and grabbed her nightgown, pulling it on. "We... stopped though... and it's... a good thing..."

He nodded, trying to calm his body down. "Y-Yeah... Thanks to...you..."

"Y-you would've stopped us too," she sighed as her own body started to cool. "But... again... it's a good thing we stopped... The timing," she blushed, knowing that there was a good chance if they went further… well, it was too soon.

"It would have... been bad," he agreed, blushing as well.

"Well... good, depending on how you look at it," she admitted. "But... now isn't the time..."

"Yeah... Let's...try to go to sleep..."

"Okay, Sy..." They cuddled down in the bed together. She could sense he was nervous. "Honey... it's okay..."

"I just... don't want anything to happen before it's time," he muttered, frowning.

She slowly curled around him to comfort him. "It's all right... there is one thing, though... We are committed to each other... And that's not going to change. If we did... it's not like it's a one-night stand..."

He blushed. "I know... But still... I want our first to wait so that it's special..."

She laid her chin on his shoulder, and her eyes shone with tender love. "It will be... when it happens it will be... Because I'm with you..."

He smiled. "You're right... It wouldn't be special with anyone else..."

"I love you so much," she murmured, eyes beginning to close.

"I love you too, Annie," he whispered back, closing his eyes. And so the couple fell asleep, cuddled together, sweetly.

_Well, what a long chapter that was. Annie and Sy are at it again and Echo and Adrian are glad they aren't an abomination. Meanwhile, it seems that Violet's dark side is seriously messing with her. What might the consequences be? Next time, join us for "Torture," and until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	38. Torture

Chapter XXXVIII: Torture

_Welcome back, folks! Sorry about the delay! Peach was trying to update __**Whisper**__ and watching her nieces. So anyway, thanks to all our reviewers and readers for checking the last very long chapter. We're going to try to have shorter chapters. So onto the next chapter!_

_Last time, Jaden met up with Darkness, aka the Grim Reaper in a dream and discovered that something worse might be coming. Violet had a horrid nightmare of what her darker half might be capable of in another time and reacted badly. Two couples grew closer and Adrian and Echo welcomed Sid and Rachel Gecko to the island. And little Belowski seemed to remember a shadow of his own past. So what will happen now?_

_**Disclaimer: **__Stop calling us! We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise!_

_Warning: Gorier nightmare images. This might be scary._

Back in the infirmary, one part of another couple was shaking in his bed. Part of it was his fever, but another part was a nightmare.

_Bastion found himself in a desolate wasteland. "VIOLET!" he screamed out. _

_And then... a figure from his past appeared. "Hello, murderer," Taniya said, her blue eyes piercing him. Her skin was white as ashes and bruised from the power of Water Dragon's final attack on her. Her eyes were bloodshot from the water stream, but they conveyed her anger and hatred toward the young man who'd ended her life. _

_"Taniya... you chose that path... I didn't want to fight you, but you left me no choice!" he moaned, still tortured that he'd had to take a life._

_"No... you had a choice... you could've let me finish her," Taniya countered angrily, bloodshot eyes flashing. _

_"No, I didn't... you could've surrendered and let us both go... or you could've accepted that I was happy!"_

_"You mean to say that you're happy I'm dead, Bastion?" a feminine voice stated coldly. The beaten and bloody corpse of Violet lay on the ground a few feet away, though her eyes held the spark of angry life as she glared at him._

_"No... Violet... I wanted to be happy with you... alive... and vibrant," he stated, feeling his heart breaking all over again._

_"Well, I was alive," called another voice, the same as the last but from a different direction. It was another Violet corpse, this one entirely mutilated as she hung from a dead tree by shadowy chains. She, too, had that angry life in her glare. "Until you FAILED and KILLED ME."_

_"Violet... I didn't kill you... but... I did fail... and... I deserve... death for that," Bastion moaned, falling to his knees._

_A pair of very familiar hands pressed down on his shoulders from behind, followed by the same voice. Except this time, there was something slightly off about it. "Ooooh, so the genius finally gets it! Good, good. It'll make this so much easier!"_

_Bastion turned. "Violet... wait... You're not her!" It was her body and her hair, but her eyes were glowing a bright, hellish red. "Who... who are you?" he managed in a terrified whisper._

_"Violet" laughed, hands moving to her hips. "Aw, how sad. You want to protect Violet oh so much, and yet you don't even know who I am. How can you protect her if you don't know even that much?"_

_The faces of the dead accused him, and this perversion of his love chilled him to the bone. And then, something whispered to him... "Your... name... is Mary," he gasped._

_"Bingo!" Mary exclaimed, grinning. A knife materialized in her hand, and she tossed it up and down impatiently. "Saved me the trouble of telling you. And that means we can get straight to your punishment! Lucky!" Mary giggled, but in a way that was practically demonic._

_"Then do it... I don't deserve my life..." Bastion's depression from his own imagined failure and the dead images around him had done their damage. Part of him welcomed this execution. And the demon named Mary was all too glad to oblige._

_"No, you don't. Failing Violet...unforgivable. The only acceptable punishment?" Mary caught the knife by the handle and shoved the blade deep into Bastion's chest, up to the hilt. "DEATH. Blood for blood! Give up your beating heart for the woman you love, Bastion Misawa!" she growled fiercely, pushing him onto the ground. He saw the gout of blood from his own chest, oddly feeling no pain as she made a cut. And then, he felt searing pain as she punched her hand through the opening and pulled out his beating heart._

_Arteries and veins made a sickening snap as the still-beating lump of bloody muscle was cruelly tugged out of the gaping hole. Uncaring whether her victim was still alive and feeling the pain or not, Mary continued to tug as a few pieces still desperately clung to the young man. Each new tug sent a fresh wave of agony through the dying person below her, until finally she grew tired of that game and cut the remaining pieces with one slash of her already bloody knife. _

_The pieces slithered back into Bastion's chest like a snake retreating into its hole as Mary triumphantly held up his heart. It continued to beat weakly for only a few moments longer, hot blood dripping down between her fingers and sliding along the deathly pale skin of her forearm. "Yes... this will be the perfect gift for Violet. To show her just how much I care for her. I shall give her your heart for you... since you never did. Goodbye, Bastion Misawa," she hissed happily. The black-haired Ra's vision faded out with that image, the words echoing through his brain with each reverberating beat of his living heart as he was thrown back into reality from his horrifying nightmare._

In the real world, Bastion was mumbling in his sleep. "No... no... Violet..." And then his eyes snapped open, confused. "Violet?" he called weakly.

Violet groaned and opened her eyes slightly, yawning. This night hadn't plagued her with a nightmare...likely because Mary had been having plenty of fun in Bastion's. "Bastion...?"

"Violet, are you alive?" he asked, shaking and frightened, turning to look at her. "And... your eyes are still green?"

She blinked, opening her eyes fully and looking over at him. "Uh...yeah, I'm alive... I'm talking to you, right? And I think they're still green..."

He looked up at her in the moonlight. Her eyes were still green, and there were no marks on her. And then... his face turned green as what little he'd eaten was about to make a reappearance. She saw the change and quickly slid out of bed, grabbing her wastebasket and rushing over to him. Violet held it, knowing what was coming and helping her fiancé to sit up enough. And she was just in time, for Bastion threw up very hard and shook. Dr. Crowler came running down the rows of beds. "Oh, my!" he exclaimed.

Violet patted Bastion's back gently, glancing over her shoulder at Dr. Crowler. "Dr. Crowler! Get Miss Fontaine! Bastion looks really bad..."

"Fonda!" Vellian shouted.

The nurse came out from Rosa's cubicle, eyes wide with concern. "Oh, my goodness... Bastion... here, honey... rinse out," she stated, getting Bastion to clean his mouth. "It's going to be okay... lie down..."

"I... Violet... someone named Mary... killed me... I deserved it..."

Violet instantly froze, eyes wide with shock and horror. She stumbled back against the edge of her bed, legs shaking. She swore that she could hear Mary laughing maniacally in her head. "M-Mary..??"

"I... deserved....to die," he moaned again, face sweaty and pale.

Fonda and Vellian looked at each other, very frightened for the Ra boy. "No... Bastion... you don't deserve that," Fonda tried.

Violet would have agreed, and added something to the argument. However, she was busy with another argument, one in her own mind. 'Why did you do that to him?!' she thought angrily.

'Because he deserved it, of course,' Mary answered simply.

'No he didn't! Mary, he never failed me!'

'He couldn't protect you! That's failure enough for death!'

'NO, IT'S NOT!! LEAVE THE PEOPLE I LOVE ALONE!!' Violet closed her eyes tightly, barely able to stop herself from screaming those last two sentences aloud.

Bastion gritted his teeth. "I keep failing... I'm failing her now..." Something within the young man had felt Mary's presence and now feared she was falling to it.

Dr. Crowler met the Ra's fevered gray eyes with his blue ones. "How are you failing her, Bastion?"

"She's... in pain... and I can't stop it..." The young man sank against his pillows, out of breath. Mary had only deepened an existing wound.

Finally, Violet simply cut off the thoughts connecting her and Mary and opened her eyes. She went to Bastion's bedside, gently taking his hand. "Bastion, please don't be upset over this. Or anything that's happened. It only hurts me more to see you like this..."

Bastion, too exhausted to talk, fell back to sleep. Miss Fontaine checked his temperature, eyes narrowed in concern. "It's dropped a little... but it won't break... In the morning, I'm going to put him in a bath and see if that'll help... Violet, he's not really himself right now..."

Violet sighed, head dropping as she closed her eyes. Mary wasn't helping this matter at all. "I know... It's my fault he's not getting any better," she muttered.

Vellian met her eyes now. In as gentle of tones as he ever used, he said, "Violet, my dear, this isn't your fault... His immune system is fighting back; it's just taking a while... And you need to concentrate on letting yourself get well. You're still not all right..."

Violet could have laughed at just how true that statement was, and the fact that she could have scared her. Mary was starting to get to her, too; into her personality. Biting her bottom lip, she went and sat back on her bed. "You're right... But I'm not talking about him being sick."

The teachers exchanged alarmed glances. "Violet... what are you talking about?" the nurse asked as she got Bastion tucked back into bed.

The purple-haired girl frowned. "It's my fault he's not getting better...mentally. He's only getting worse... And it's all because of me..." The fact that she was hurting him in such a way pained her deeply, and she held back tears as she said this.

Fonda Fontaine was really worried now... "Violet, what are you saying, sweetie?" she asked, sitting down next to the girl and gesturing to Dr. Crowler to sit with Bastion.

Violet buried her face in her hands, wondering if she'd be able to say it this time. "Th-There's... someone, or… something... making Bastion worse," she stammered.

Fonda gently put her arms around the frightened girl. "Who or what is it? Violet, I want to help, if I can, okay?"

Violet shook. "You can't help... No one can... She'll hurt you..." The images of her nightmare came back to her as a horrifying reminder.

"Who will hurt me?" Fonda asked, really worried for Violet's sanity.

Violet looked up to meet the nurse's eyes, and for a split second they looked blood red rather than grass green. "Mary," she managed in an almost inaudible voice.

Fonda caught the change, but it happened so quickly, she dismissed it as a trick of the light. "Mary? Who is she?"

"I don't know... She said she's me," Violet moaned, head dropping again. She could feel the other entity in her prodding at her consciousness, as if trying to be on top.

"She's you? I don't understand..."

"Neither do I... B-But... I should stop." Violet was fearful Mary was trying something, and she quickly pulled the covers over her head like a scared little girl. "Bad..."

"Violet... honey..." Fonda pulled back the covers. "It's going to be all right... somehow..."

"I... I hope so," Violet whispered, turning away. For now, it seemed, the old, fun-loving, carefree Violet was gone.

"Just try to relax, honey." Fonda watched Violet try to drift off and thought quickly at what to do. And then she decided. "Vellian... I think we need to call Annie... I hate to do it, but she may be able to help here..."

"Hmmm... Fonda, you may be right... and it can't wait until morning..." And so, Dr. Crowler dialed the landline number for Annie and Sy's room.

Syrus woke to the phone ringing, and blindly reached for it. After missing three times in a row, he groaned and opened his eyes. Finally able to grasp it and answer, he yawned. "Hello?"

"Syrus, this is Dr. Crowler. I'm sorry to wake you, but we need you and Annie in the infirmary right away..."

"H-Huh? The infirmary? Why??" Syrus asked, more awake now as he gently shook Annie awake.

"Sy... honey, what?" Annie murmured groggily.

"Violet and Bastion seem to have had nightmares and it has especially disturbed Violet. Miss Fontaine thinks you both can help Violet through this... Is that all right?" Dr. Crowler explained.

"Oh, man," Syrus muttered, turning to Annie. He told her what Dr. Crowler had just told him before turning back to the phone. "We'll be there in a few minutes, Dr. Crowler."

"Thank you, Syrus..." They said good-bye and Syrus hung up the phone.

Annie, wide awake now, was pulling on a pair of slippers. "I can run over there in these." She grabbed a robe and put it on over her nightgown. "Darn it..."

Syrus tugged on a pair of sweatpants and slippers as well. "Annie?" he asked, glancing over at her.

"Darkness messed with their minds... Why didn't I see this coming," she groaned, tying the robe, black with white stars, around herself. Her eyes were narrowed and her forehead was furrowed in frustration. That she had possibly missed this made her angry with herself.

He moved to her, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. "Annie... we were all just so happy to have them back... And we've been more worried about their physical health... don't be mad at yourself, please..."

"The mental goes along with the physical, Sy... Violet's fighting something off and Bastion... he's fighting something off too, but not as well... If he keeps up the emotional pain and negativity, it lowers his immune system strength," she groaned again, grabbing an overnight bag and heading to the closet.

"Well, then we'll help them... But it'll be harder if we have negative feelings too, right? So let's not be upset with ourselves... and just go and help. Okay?" he reminded her.

Annie nodded, also packing a small bag of clothes for them both. "We may be there until class in the morning... We may need to get dressed at the infirmary..."

"You're right... Is that everything?" Syrus asked, grabbing his PDA and putting it into his pocket.

She grabbed her PDA as well. "Yeah. Let's go..."

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

It took the couple a few minutes to get to the infirmary, and by that point Bastion was still asleep. Violet was dozing on and off, afraid that if she fell into a deep sleep she would have a nightmare or Mary would do something. "Violet?" Annie called softly, so as not to disturb Bastion. "It's me..."

Violet opened her eyes and looked up at her best friend. "Annie??"

"Yeah... I told you I'd be here if you needed me," the girl answered softly, coming in and sitting down on a chair next to the bed.

Violet turned to face her, quickly reaching out to shakily take her hand in both of hers. "Annie... I'm sorry... You came all the way here for me..."

"Violet... what did I tell you before I left the infirmary? I'm here for you no matter what," the other girl countered, putting her other hand over her friend's. "And that means even in the middle of the night."

Violet frowned. "Okay... But... I don't know if you'll be able to help," she murmured.

"Violet... please tell me what's wrong," Annie stated softly. "Please..."

"But..." Violet glanced away. "The more I talk about her… the more she gets to me..."

"Who's talking to you?" Annie asked calmly.

"Mary," Violet whispered again, and yet again her eyes flashed that same striking red color. It seemed every time she said that name, she lost a bit more ground.

Annie saw it and just suppressed a shiver. "Violet... your eyes..."

Violet blinked. "W-What? What about my eyes??"

"They... they flashed red..." Annie's blue eyes were wide. "It's like when Tyson turns dinosaur..."

"R-Red? Oh no," Violet moaned, covering her face with her hands. Mary's eyes were red; it was obvious what the change meant. "I have to stop… no more... I can't...." Talking about her dark side was only making it worse, so she buried her face in her pillow and decided to simply stop.

Annie, however, wouldn't let her. She pulled Violet up into her arms and held her in a strong hug. "No... you're not going to stop... If whoever this is wants a fight... she has to get through me... I'm not letting her take you..."

"Says you... Don't get in my way... it's too soon," growled a voice that was Violet's and at the same time not hers. But when Violet looked up again at Annie, her eyes were their normal green.

Annie could nearly sense the other presence, but she used her friend's name. "Violet... what is it too soon for?" she asked.

Violet blinked. "Huh? What do you mean, Annie??" she asked in obvious confusion. Whatever had happened, Violet obviously has no idea it had.

"Violet... it sounded like you... but you said, 'Says you... don't get in my way... it's too soon,'" Annie answered.

Violet blinked a few more times, frowning. "But, Annie... I didn't say anything..."

Annie sighed, a grim possibility coming to her. "Okay, Violet... let's see if you can get back to sleep... You need to sleep or your body won't start to heal..."

Violet frowned, still confused but deciding to just do as Annie said. "Okay, Annie... I'll try," she muttered, lying back down.

Annie reached out and sang softly, rubbing Violet's back as she did. 'Help me, Lord,' she prayed in her head. 'Help me fight this evil that's trying to hurt my friend...'

Violet was soon asleep, soothed by her friend's gentle singing. Syrus walked over to Annie and sat beside her, placing his arm around her. "Are you okay, Annie?"

She looked up at him, eyes worried and weary as she moved her hand from Violet's back. "She's breaking... Syrus, she's breaking... Something is going on with her..."

He frowned, taking her free hand into his. "Annie... What can we do? She and Bastion both… they're still so weak."

"I don't know... and we can't duel our way out of this..."

Syrus sighed. "We need to talk about this with the others... There has to be something we can do..."

"Yeah," she answered. "Let's... wait until morning, though. Miss Fontaine and Dr. Crowler just needed us to calm Violet down... The Darkness did something really bad to her..."

He nodded. "Good idea. Maybe after classes... I think today was the only study day."

"Yeah... no way after nearly two weeks, the teachers will let us miss any more," she said softly.

Sighing, he stifled a yawn. "So do you want to sleep here? Or go back to our room?"

"I think I need to stay here with Violet and Bastion," she answered, unable to hide the yawn. "I can't leave... in case whatever that is comes back. She might not hurt Violet physically... but she's doing mental damage..."

"All right. I'll stay here with you to help," he replied, closing his eyes, intending to sleep on the chair next to his love.

"Go lay down on one of the beds, hon. I need to stay right here."

Syrus shook his head. "I'm staying right here, Annie. In case you or Violet needs me, I'm not moving."

"I'll call you... there's an open bed right behind me, Sy... you definitely need to sleep," she countered, gesturing at the curtain.

He opened his eyes, frowning stubbornly. "Annie...."

She managed a smile, opening the curtain to the next cubicle. "Honey, you may have to take notes for us both in a few hours and you need to be awake..."

He sighed, knowing that he wasn't going to win this argument. "All right, fine... But if anything happens, or you need anything, just call me. Okay?"

She caught the edge in his voice. "Honey, please don't be mad. I just..." And her voice caught in her throat. She hated sensing he was upset with her, and between that and Violet, Annie's emotions were on edge.

He blinked, then smiled softly and placed a gentle hand on her cheek. "It's okay, Annie. I'm not mad... I'm just worried about you, and Violet, and Bastion..."

She reached up and took his hand. "Honey, you're here with me... And I'll be all right as long as you're close. Go ahead and lie down... I'm just going to sit here..."

He sighed again. "Okay..." Syrus gave her a quick kiss and then stood, going over to the bed and laying down.

And so Annie sat up the rest of the night. 'I'll fight every step of the way with Violet... I have to,' she thought. 'I will not falter... not now...'

And as Violet slept, Mary sat brooding in the deepest part of her mind. "I WAS going to kill that failure of a man first, but... This girl annoys me. We'll see how long she lasts... I wonder... what her blood tastes like..." Needless to say, the next few days were going to be tense for everyone.

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Morning came to Academy Island, and everyone woke up to find that yes, they did have class. At the Slifer dorm, Jaden Yuki woke with his hair sticking out every which way. "Lex... we gotta get up. We have class," he murmured into her ear at 6:30.

Alexis's hair was a little less wild, but still a bit tangled as she yawned. "Okay... I'm up," she muttered. Sitting up, static clung to her, threatening Jaden with its shock. And Jaden made the mistake of touching her.

"Glad you're... OUCH!" he yelped, jumping back... and falling onto the wood floor.

Alexis blinked, opening her eyes fully and looking over the edge of the bed. "Jaden??" she asked in confusion.

He sat up, sore on his behind. "Lex... you shocked me!"

"I did?" She looked at her arm, but by now the static had worn off.

"Yeah! Were you wearing your fuzzy socks?" he asked, trying to get a good look at her feet.

"No...but I am wearing a cotton nightgown," she explained.

Jaden grinned sheepishly as he got up from the floor. "You must've rubbed against the sheets. But that was as good as the shock you gave me at Christmas when you were wearing those fuzzy socks!"

Alexis smirked. "At least it woke you up, right? Now you're wide awake for class."

"Yeah... heck of a way to wake up, though, babe... I'm going down to the bathrooms and getting a shower," he grinned sheepishly, getting the stuff he needed.

She yawned again. "All right. I already had my shower last night, so I'll meet you in the cafeteria."

"Okay, babe," Jaden answered. He headed down, got his shower, and in about half an hour, was in the cafeteria with his fiancée. "Man... where's Sy," he wondered. "Lex, they should be here..."

Alexis frowned. "I know. Usually they're the first ones here... Should we try calling them?"

"I'll try Sy," Jaden said, picking up his PDA and punching in Sy's number.

Syrus was up, and had just finished getting dressed in his cubicle in the infirmary. He pulled his PDA out of his pocket and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey, Sy," Jaden greeted, a slight worried edge in his voice. "Where are you guys?"

"Oh, hey, Jay. We're at the infirmary," Syrus answered, sitting in a chair.

"Infirmary?!" Jaden yelped, startling the other Slifer boys and his fiancée. "Sy, what happened?!"

Syrus nearly fell out of the chair at Jaden's exclamation, and grinned sheepishly. "It's okay, Jaden. Last night Bastion and Violet had some problems. Annie and I just came here to help, that's all..."

Jaden took a couple of deep breaths to steady himself. "You just had to go up there? What happened last night?" he asked in a calmer voice.

Syrus explained how Bastion had had a nightmare, and how Violet had been really messed up by it. "Annie and I think we should have a group meeting about what to do after classes."

"Okay. Are you coming to class?"

"Well, I am. I might let Annie sleep... I think she stayed up most of the night."

Jaden had come a long way in the last year and a half in the area of concern and perception. And so he asked, "Was it a bad night?"

On the other end of the line, Syrus sighed, glancing over at the bed Annie now occupied. Miss Fontaine had moved the girl at dawn. "Yeah... Annie and I didn't get here until after most of it, but Miss Fontaine told us what happened..."

The Slifer sighed. "I'll meet you at the infirmary before class... Sy... just hang in there, bro..."

"Okay... Bye, Jay."

"Bye, Sy." Jaden terminated the connection, worry written all over his face. "Lex... did you hear that?" he asked.

"No... What's up, Jay?" she answered, frowning at his expression.

"Sy had to go to the infirmary with Annie last night. Bastion and Violet had a really rough night, it sounds like. And I think Annie stayed up all night."

"So you're going to stop by there before class?"

"Yeah, he needs me, babe," Jaden explained gently as Jesse, Jim and Axel came into the cafeteria.

"Hey, Jaden, Alexis," Axel greeted.

Jim and Jesse gave similar greetings, but all three boys could tell something was wrong by their expressions. "Jay? Alexis? Is somethin' wrong?" Jesse asked.

Jaden told them quickly. "...So we just saved the world, but it looks like... I don't know... stuff was just too much, you know?"

Jim sighed. "It seems we're not done yet, mates. There are still some obstacles we need to overcome before we can relax."

"Yeah, so much for the 'I've saved the world and I'm going to Disneyland' ending," Axel said drily.

Alexis smirked. "It doesn't work that way for us, does it?"

"Nope," Jaden sighed. "But... at least we're together through this..."

"We were going to stop by there before class. Did you three want to join us?" Alexis asked.

The three young men nodded. They ate their breakfasts and headed over to the infirmary. As they walked, Jaden reached to pet Shirley on the snout. "Hey, Shirley..." Shirley growled softly in acknowledgement, looking over at Jaden from her spot on Jim's back. "Sorry you can't be a flower crocodile yet," Jaden apologized, "but everybody's gotta get feeling better first. Rosa needs to gain some weight... Bastion and Violet need to get better…"

The crocodile seemed to nod, and growled again. Jim smiled. "It's all right, Jaden. Shirley understands."

"Yeah... well, still she deserves an apology," Jaden stated simply. They arrived in the infirmary about 20 minutes before class was to start.

"Darlin', I wish I didn't have to go to class," Tyson was saying in Rosa's cubicle.

"It's all right, Tyson. You need to go to class. Don't worry about me...I'm fine," Rosa replied reassuringly, holding his hand and offering him a small smile.

"I just hate leavin' you," he said softly, brushing her hair back with his free hand.

"I know. But it won't be for long... You can come back after classes, okay?"

"Yeah, Spanish Rose... I love you..."

"I love you, Tyson." Rosa moved up, giving him a quick kiss. Tyson kissed back, fluffing her pillows and making sure her blankets were in the right place. He stepped out of the cubicle and greeted the group.

"Hi, Tyson. How's Rosa doing?" Alexis asked.

"Gettin' her rest and she's eatin' more," Tyson smiled wearily. While he'd managed to sleep the past couple of days, the young man's face still displayed the worn look of a dedicated caregiver.

Jesse grinned. "You'd make a great nurse, Tyson! You take good care of her." Of course he meant that in a complimenting way, but it was possible to be taken the wrong way.

Tyson actually blushed. "Tyson, why are you blushing?" Jaden asked curiously. Jim and

Axel's jaws dropped, having understood the accidental double meaning. "Uh… Sarge... dang it," the Texas Ra groaned. He didn't want to have to explain that.

"Uh... Jesse? Did you say something bad?" Jaden wondered.

Jesse blinked, scratching his head as he shrugged. "I don't think so, Jay. I was just tryin' to compliment ya, Tyson. Why are you, Axel, and Jim actin' like that??"

Jim face-palmed. "Crikey..."

Tyson whispered quickly. "Well... it could be a double entendre, Private Jesse... just surprised it came from you..."

Jesse simply sent the Texan a blank stare. "A what now???"

Axel whispered what that meant, making the North Academy boy blush. "That's what it means," he said in a louder voice.

Jesse laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ah, well... Tyson, bud... I really didn't mean it like that... Heh heh..." He was as red as Jaden's jacket.

Tyson grinned sheepishly. "I knew that. Just reacted..."

Jaden grinned. "What's a double entendre?" Everyone fell over.

And then Sy emerged from behind one of the curtains. "Hey, guys. Uh...why's everyone on the ground?" the small Obelisk asked in confusion, sweat-dropping.

"Me being me," Jaden answered. "I didn't know what a phrase meant..."

"What word?"

"Double entendre. Any idea what it means?"

Syrus blushed. "Uh..." He walked over to Jaden and quickly whispered to him what the word meant.

Jaden's reaction was priceless. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. "That's what it means?!"

Syrus nodded, face still red. "Y-Yeah..."

"Wow... Well... Jesse didn't mean that!"

Jesse sweat-dropped. "Nope. Not at all, Jay. Sorry about the misunderstanding, partner," he stated, turning to Tyson.

Tyson grinned sheepishly. "It's cool!" he said, slapping Jesse on the back.

Jesse yelped at the strong hit, face-planting the floor. The others sweat-dropped.

"I think you overdid it, mate," Jim muttered, Shirley growling in agreement.

Tyson chuckled in embarrassment as he helped Jesse up. "Sorry, Jesse... didn't ease off that time..."

Jesse grinned. "It's all right, Tyson! I'm fine."

"Sy, is Annie awake yet?" Jaden asked.

Syrus shook his head, glancing over at the curtained cubicle where the would-be doctor slept. "No, she's still sleeping."

"And that's okay?"

"Yes, Jaden... she stayed up all night with Violet," Miss Fontaine answered, coming out from Atticus's cubicle. "Both your brothers are sleeping and they're fine, Alexis," she added in response to the Rhodes girl's unspoken question.

Alexis sighed in relief. "That's good. How are Violet, Bastion, and Marcel doing?"

"Marcel's still asleep. His dad was in here a little bit ago to check on him. He had a little breakfast and fell back to sleep. Bastion and Violet will need a lot of TLC, I think," Miss Fontaine explained. "Bastion's still running a bit of a fever and Violet is under the weather..."

"TLC?" Jesse asked, unfamiliar with the term, but familiar with the TV network.

"Tender loving care, Jesse," the nurse explained. "They're going to be treated especially carefully..."

"Oh."

"Miss Fontaine, should Annie miss class? She stayed up so late," Syrus said, frowning.

"She's going to miss first and second period. I'll wake her, Sy, in time for the third class... She's got the makings of a good doctor..."

"Okay. Thanks, Miss Fontaine."

"No problem, Sy... now get to class, all of you..."

"Yes, ma'am," Jaden answered for all of them, and they ran off to class. The first class was Professor Stein's class and a review period where students could check their books and study materials and ask the teacher anything.

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The school day went by quickly for the gang and after class, they met outside the infirmary. "Man, what a day," Jaden groaned.

"Yeah... know why they call it dead week?" Annie asked sleepily, referring to the week before finals.

"Why?" Syrus replied.

"Because you're so tired, you feel dead," she sighed.

"Oh... I guess we're all tired, huh?"

Jaden groaned. "Yeah..."

Tyson too, yawned. "I'd take a nap... but Rosa needs me..."

"Okay... guys... you're all wondering what happened last night," Annie stated. And so she told them all that had occurred that she knew. "...And Violet... it was like... she was a different person for a moment..."

"It's strange... Doesn't Mary sound familiar?" Syrus muttered, trying to think.

And then Jaden went pale. "It's...oh, man..." He still vividly remembered the nightmare of his dead friends, a very evil Yubel, his dark side and of course, a psychotic murderer who looked like Violet and yet called herself Mary. "Not her..."

Alexis looked at him with a frown. "Jaden? You know who she is??"

"Y-yeah... she was in that nightmare, back when my post-traumatic stress disorder gave me trouble... That nightmare, where everybody was dead, except for me, Yubel, the Supreme King... and Violet... but she wasn't Violet... not with those burning red eyes." The Slifer couldn't shake that image from his mind, even after extensive therapy. And then Annie's face went white as she sagged against the wall.

"Annie!!" Syrus put his arm around her for support. "Annie, are you okay?!"

"Her eyes... last night," she moaned softly, head spinning. The image of Violet, looking possessed was overloading the dark-haired girl's system. And then, for the first time in several months, Anne Charlotte Hanson's eyes rolled into the back of her head and everything went black.

Luckily, by this time Syrus was strong enough to quickly lift her limp body into his arms. For a few seconds his fears of her heart problem returning came to light, but then he told himself it was just out of shock. "This isn't good... Miss Fontaine!" Syrus called as he entered the infirmary, glad they had been standing just outside of it.

Miss Fontaine came running and they got the unconscious girl to a bed. It took a few minutes before Annie came to, but it was quick compared to the times she'd had episodes. "She's fine... what happened?" the nurse asked, laying a cool cloth over Annie's forehead. The entire group, now including Adrian, Echo, Belowski and a very excited Sid, exchanged glances.

"We were talking about what's been going on with Violet... And when Jaden made a connection, she got really pale and fainted," Syrus explained, frowning at his fiancée's still form.

"What was it?" And so Jaden explained his nightmare, and then what Annie had seen. Fonda sighed. "Then... no wonder she was frightened enough to faint and Violet was so frightened..."

"This is really bad. It's like Jaden with Haou... or Atty with Nightshroud. But maybe even worse," Alexis groaned.

"Yeah... from what I saw... Mary's homicidal," Jaden sighed.

Adrian held Sid a little bit closer. "So how do we deal with this?"

"It depends," Miss Fontaine answered gently as Annie weakly squeezed her beloved's hand. "If this Mary really gets ugly... we may have to isolate Violet..."

Little did the group know that in the other room, Violet was only feigning sleep. She could hear every word, and it not only scared her, it seemed to give Mary more authority. 'You see? I told you. Isolation? Ha! Big word for everyone leaving you,' Mary sneered in her mind.

Violet could have cried. 'It's your fault! Because of you-' she thought.

'ME?? Oh no! I've been trying to save you from more of this heartbreak! They're the ones abandoning you!!' The words stung Violet, in her weakened state finding them so easy to believe.

"Miss Fontaine," Annie murmured weakly from her own bed, "no... that...can't happen..."

"Miss Fontaine, Annie's right. We can't do that to her... There has to be something else we can do," Syrus agreed, looking at the nurse.

"If she becomes a danger to everyone..."

"Then... I'll face her," Annie said softly. "She's my best friend... and there's no way... I'll let that thing destroy her..."

"But Annie, what if she hurts you?" Alexis asked worriedly.

"I don't care... She's like my sister... and if it means I get hurt trying to get her back, that's the way it is," Annie asserted, trying to sit up, but still too weak.

"Annie..." It wasn't someone in the group who had said that, but Violet. She stood in the doorway, tears brimming her eyes and having heard every word.

Annie looked up, since the rest of her didn't want to cooperate. "Violet? Are you... okay?" she asked shakily. "You... should be in bed..."

Violet ignored the statement and shakily walked over to her best friend's bedside, sitting down so that she wouldn't fall over. She pulled the girl into a hug, tears running down her cheeks. "Annie... you... Thank you..."

Annie hugged back, tears coming. "I'll fight this out with you... no matter what..."

'Even if you die?' Mary asked in Violet's mind. She suddenly tensed, hands gripping the back of Annie's blazer.

The overwhelming thought of snapping the brunette's neck had slammed into her mind, and it took all the effort Violet had not to move her hands. "A-Ah... no... I won't..."

Annie sensed it. "Leave her alone! I won't let you take her. No one takes Violet without facing me first... you hear me?!"

"Oh, I hear you. But not for-no, Mary!" Violet pushed out of Annie's hug, hands moving to her head as she squeezed her red eyes shut. She took shaky breaths, trying to clear her mind. 'You won't... you won't... you won't... I won't let you! Go away!' she thought.

The entire group heard the voice change. "Violet?!" Jaden gasped, remembering that voice from that months-old nightmare, the one that had made him shy away from her.

"Violet... darling..." Everyone looked up to see Bastion, shaking and pale, standing at the door. "Stay with me," he groaned, as he had evidently struggled with every step to the private room. He was the color of curdled milk, and his cheeks were flushed from the fever. But his eyes held determination.

'Annoying little... I'll leave for now. But I will have her life,' Mary growled out, as Violet's eyes changed back to green.

She took a deep breath, as if surfacing from the deep end of a pool. "B-Bastion," she stammered, sweat beading her face.

"Violet... don't... let her... win," he groaned, falling to one knee.

Miss Fontaine moved to his side, feeling the heat radiate from his body. "Bastion... you shouldn't have gotten out of bed..."

"Had to... Violet's not... going anywhere... won't... let her," he ground out.

Violet shakily got to her feet and went to him, kneeling beside him so that she could hug him. "I-I'm still here... Bastion... It's okay..."

"Not... letting you be taken... I... won't fail you again," he groaned as Miss Fontaine brushed his forehead.

"Bastion... sweetie, your temperature's back up... You should've stayed in bed!" the nurse chastised.

"Had to get up... Violet needs me..."

"I'm fine now, Bastion... Come on, let's get you back to bed... Okay?" the purple-headed girl pleaded, frowning worriedly.

Miss Fontaine couldn't get the Ra to his feet on her own, so Adrian helped. "Okay, we're almost there, Bastion... One more step," the redheaded young man stated calmly. They got him in and he was asleep again in seconds.

"He keeps pushing too hard and he won't relax," the nurse groaned softly, taking his temperature with an ear thermometer.

Violet collapsed onto her bed, also exhausted. "It's my fault... He keeps pushing too hard because of me... I'm making him worse," she groaned, curling into a ball.

By this time, Annie was able to get out of bed and to her friend while the nurse took care of Bastion. "No... Violet... it's not your fault. And it's his nature to push too hard," she explained.

"But he's doing it because of what's happening to me... So it is my fault this time..." Violet countered, tightly closing her eyes.

"Violet... don't keep hurting yourself," the girl pleaded. "Bastion loves you..."

"And that's why he's making himself worse to help me... And it's not even making it any better.... So he's hurting himself for nothing!"

"Then... concentrate on fighting her... And I'll fight her with you," Annie promised, holding Violet's hand.

"I can't... She's too strong..." Violet moaned, burying her face in her pillow again. She didn't want to mention how convincing she was.

"She's telling you what Darkness told you... isn't she?"

"S-Sort of..."

"That you'd always be alone, and that we'd abandon you?"

"Y-Yeah... She said that... you would all leave me... So... she has to punish all of you... And that because Bastion can't protect me, he should be punished too... She said that she's the only one who won't leave me..."

"Punished? How?" Annie asked. She was frightened, but she had to know.

"Isn't it o-obvious??" Violet snapped, unable to stop herself.

"Violet... does she want us... dead?"

The purple-haired girl nodded silently, face still deep in her pillow. "B-But... not just dead... Painful d-deaths... So much… blood..."

Annie decided to take a risk and hug Violet again. "We'll stop her... somehow..." This time nothing happened, and Violet nodded again. She was still exhausted, and was starting to drift. "It'll be okay... and she won't win..."

"I hope... you're right..."

"We can stop her... And I won't let her take you... I'd rather die first..."

"Please... don't..." Violet was finding it harder and harder to listen as she drifted.

"You're my best friend," Annie murmured, laying her down and covering her with the blanket, "and that's what you mean to me..."

"Mmm... best.. friend..." Violet muttered before finally joining her fiancé in sleep.

Miss Fontaine looked worried as they stepped out of the cubicle. "Bastion must be fighting some sort of infection off... That's why his fever is so persistent... But it appears to be a viral infection..."

"Is there any way to tell for sure?" Syrus asked.

"Yes, I took cultures and did blood work. Unfortunately with a virus, there's nothing to do but let his body fight it off," the nurse explained. "Annie, do you know why?"

"Antibiotics won't work and may help you resist them later when you need them to fight off bacterial infections," Annie stated, like the medical student she hoped to be.

"Does Violet have a virus too?" Alexis inquired, frowning.

Miss Fontaine nodded. "Her body's fighting it a bit more effectively, though. All I can do is watch them both at this point. With their immune systems lowered, it's more likely that their systems could be affected by worse than this..."

"So then... the only thing we can really do is help them with their darkness, if it's possible with them in this state," Jim said thoughtfully.

The nurse nodded and looked toward Bastion and Violet's cubicle. "Bastion's in no condition to confront it at this point... Wait until he's a little bit stronger..."

"But we can help Violet, can't we?" Jesse asked hopefully.

"Definitely. Whatever this dark side is... you must fight it with her..."

"She would've fought the Supreme King along with me," Jaden stated clearly.

"Well, first we need to get her to relax. It'll be harder when she's all stressed like this..." Alexis stated, and then got an idea. "What if tomorrow we take her to the girls' hot spring for a little while? She loves it there... and it would help her to relax. Would that be all right, Miss Fontaine?"

The nurse thought a moment. "If she's a little stronger, then I'll allow it. It might do her good to get out of the infirmary... And the fresh air will help her... And Bastion will have a lot of visitors..."

"Yeah... he will. All the Ras want to see him," Belowski smiled. He'd been staying at the Ra dorm with Professor Sartyr, despite his rank as an Obelisk Blue.

"It'll cheer him up a little and give him more time to rest," Syrus added, smiling.

_It appears that the gang has scars that have not gone away simply because Darkness did. Bastion is a sick young man and the residual traces of Darkness are wearing him and Violet down. But it seems their friends are ready to fight the presence that is tearing Violet's sanity apart. Next time, please join us for "Murderous Intent." Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	39. Murderous Intent

Chapter XXXIX: Murderous Intent

_Welcome back, everyone! We're glad that you've returned to read again! We look forward to every review and every visitor to our story! So thank you again for coming! Now, onto the tale!_

_Last time, Bastion had a horrible nightmare of being murdered at his love's dark side's hand. Violet was emotionally tortured by Bastion's pain and her dark side and Annie and the rest of the gang promised to stand by her and Bastion, no matter the cost. But what will the cost be? Read on…_

_**Disclaimer: Yeah… we don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. If we did, there would be more canon pairings. Anyway, we do own our OCs, this storyline and this version of the Yugi-verse.**_

_**Warning: **__An attempted murder takes place in this chapter. It may be intense._

And so the group agreed that the next day, Bastion would have visitors and Violet would go to the hot springs with the girls. And after class the next afternoon, it did happen. "Okay, everybody listen to Miss Fontaine. I want y'all lined up like crows on a clothesline!" Tyson instructed, getting the Ras together outside the infirmary.

Jesse was probably the only one who had understood Tyson, and he only made it worse. "You heard 'im! Like ants marchin' through a picnic!"

All of the Ras sweat-dropped. "Do you understand what the heck those two just said?" whispered one to his friend. The other shrugged.

Fortunately, second-year Ra Phil McGraw understood. "They mean line up straight!" he explained in his own Texas drawl.

The group gave a collective "oh" and lined up. "Maybe you shouldn't use an analogy next time, guys," Syrus stated, grinning sheepishly. The dreadlocked Texas Ra and the North Academy student exchanged glances and laughed. Bastion, in his bed, was sitting up comfortably to take his visitors.

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Meanwhile, Violet was back at Obelisk walking through the hall with her closest female friends. "All right! I haven't been to the Obelisk hot spring wading pools before!" Blair grinned eagerly.

The girls were headed towards the springs, wrapped up in towels since they weren't wearing any clothes. Most of them had their hair up so that it wouldn't get wet. "You're going to love it, Blair! From what Jay has told me, it's different than the guys. Ours is more...classy," Alexis explained with a grin.

"Mai Wheeler was the one who made all the suggestions on it," Annie explained, smiling. "She thought we girls should have some special treatment and pampering..."

"Uh... why is it swimsuit optional?" Blair wondered, worried about her body's appearance when stacked up against the more mature teen girls' figures.

"Because traditional Japanese hot springs are usually that way. I guess Mai wanted to keep that tradition," Echo answered, smirking.

"Anyway, it's just us girls. So there's nothing bad about it," Alexis added gently. She knew it was hard to enjoy a hot spring in the traditional way the first time, so she'd do what she could to make the young girl feel at ease.

"Okay... I'm just not used to the tradition," Blair admitted, blushing.

"It's okay, Blair," Mindy soothed. "When Jasmine and I started here, we came to the spring in our suits... a good thing too... That was the night we had the incident with Sy and Dr. Crowler..."

"That would have been embarrassing... and awkward," Alexis agreed, sweat-dropping as they finally entered the large, open, steamy room that held the spring.

"Wait a minute... what happened?!" Blair asked, eyes wide, having not heard the tale.

"I want to know, too," Echo added, blinking.

Alexis snickered. "It's pretty funny, actually..." And so she explained about the fake love letter and Syrus, and how Annie had seen Dr. Crowler. She also told about how they had "taken Syrus hostage" and forced Jaden to duel herself. "...It was the first time we really got to know each other. That's when I fell in love with him..."

Blair was smiling a bit wistfully, as first crushes can be very hard to get over. "It's hard not to fall for him, isn't it?"

Alexis laughed. "You're right. I'm just glad you have your sights set on someone else now."

"Yeah... I bring Marcel lunch almost every day. Professor Bonaparte's really nice and I've been learning French from them both!" Blair explained happily.

Annie, walking by Violet, noticed how quiet she'd been. "Violet, how are you doing?" she asked softly.

Violet had been lost in thought, and now she blinked. "H-Huh? Oh... I'm all right..."

"You sure?" she asked as they began to disrobe.

Violet nodded. It was strange; she hadn't felt anything from Mary at all today. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Okay... well, just let me know if you need something, okay?" the dark-haired girl offered as they slowly got into the hot pool.

"Okay." The girls gave a collective sigh of comfort as they sank down into the water, sitting on the benches cut into the sides of the pool.

"Oh, my... this is amazing," Blair breathed, enjoying the head.

"Hey, Echo?" Jasmine asked, "Have you ever done this before?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, a few times. I'd go with Mom to hot springs in Domino City," Echo explained, smiling as she felt the hot water unknot her tight muscles.

"That's one thing about Domino... it's a great combo of US and Japanese things... the city was founded by Japanese-Americans just after World War II," Annie said. "They'd lost almost everything during the Internment..."

Echo nodded. "Yes, not one of our country's brightest moments in history. It was the fear and paranoia..."

"Yeah... It was easy to single out people of Japanese descent.. And yet the best infantry in World War II was made up of Japanese-Americans," the dark-haired girl remembered, frowning at the injustice and smiling at the thought of those brave young men. "They decided to prove themselves and one of them went on to be a senator for Hawaii..."

"Hey, we're supposed to be relaxing, right? How about we talk about something we don't learn in school?" Alexis asked, smirking.

Annie sweat-dropped and grinned sheepishly. "I did it again... Shut up, brain!" she commanded.

"Hmmm," Violet muttered, sinking down so that her mutter turned into bubbles in the water. She was still deep in thought, wondering why Mary was being so quiet.

Blair sighed too, albeit for a different reason. "I could stay here forever," she admitted. "It's so relaxing... But we all have lives... So what's graduation like?" she asked, and soon the group was talking about enjoyable things.

Violet listened, only adding her input if asked something. After a few minutes of this conversation, she glanced up at her friends instead of staring at the water. It was perhaps a bad idea. The urge she received was so strong, that it played out in her mind's eye. Grabbing Alexis by the back of her head and shoving her down, watching the blonde struggle as her life drained away. Violet gasped in shock, which was another bad idea seeing as her mouth was still underwater. She came up, spluttering and coughing as the usual laughter filled her head.

"Violet?!" Annie exclaimed, moving close to her friend. "Violet, are you all right?!"

"Y-Yeah," Violet managed in a hoarse tone, catching her breath. "J-Just swallowed some... water, that's all..."

Annie helped her sit up and take a few slow and easy breaths. "Just relax a minute... It'll be okay..."

But Violet was worried; that image had been far too real for her liking. She decided it would be best to leave the spring before Mary got a chance to drown anyone. "Annie... can we leave? Just us? The rest of you guys can stay if you want."

"Sure, Violet, we can do that. We'll see you guys later," Annie said as she and her best friend got out of the tub and headed to the lockers to get dressed again. "I can never take more than 10 minutes in there anyway," she grinned as they got into the locker room.

Violet smiled; partly at what Annie had said, and partly because Mary's presence had strangely left once again. "Can we stop at our room, Annie? I want to get a few things since I'm still staying in the infirmary..."

Annie nodded. "Of course," she answered cheerfully. Little did she know that answer and its actions would nearly cost her her life.

And so the two girls changed back into their uniforms and headed up to the room feeling incredibly refreshed. Both were unsuspecting as they entered, Violet sighing. "It's been so long since I was in here..."

"Yeah... the suite isn't the same without you and Bastion in here," Annie answered as they headed for Violet and Bastion's bedroom. "We'll get a good bag for both of you..."

"All right. You go ahead and find a duffle bag; I want to check and see if something I left in the kitchenette is still there," Violet replied, smiling as she turned around.

"Okay," Annie answered, heading for the walk-in closet.

Violet went to the kitchenette and opened the mini-fridge, instantly grinning. "The pudding pops are still here! Bastion'll love these," she said excitedly, pulling them out. However, as Violet straightened, it was like something in her brain switched off. Everything went black, but her body remained standing.

And then, it was if her mind came back online as her eyes turned a bloody red. A wild smirk crossed her face as she set the treats aside. Violet, now obviously Mary, quickly found what she was looking for amongst the drawers. A finely honed knife, of course. Suppressing her laughter, Mary snuck over to the doorway and pressed herself against the wall. "Annie! Can you come in here for a second?" she called, imitating Violet's voice perfectly.

Annie, still unsuspecting, straightened from her packing. "Sure, Violet, what do you need?" she called as she walked through the bedroom door into the living area, sensing no danger. Her guard was down and today, that just might be fatal.

"Oh, just your life, for starters," Mary answered in her own voice, spinning around to grab the front of Annie's blazer, lightning-fast. She grinned maniacally as she lifted the Obelisk girl off of the ground with ease and slammed her against the wall.

Annie shrieked, turning ghost-white at the sight of those demonic red eyes. "Violet! Take control!!! SOMEBODY HELP!!!" she screamed. But she knew if Mary was going to take her life, she would, and no one would get to them in time.

Mary let loose her laughter this time, twirling the knife around in her hand like an expert. "First of all, Violet isn't taking control anytime soon. Why do you think I saved my energy for most of the day and left her alone? And second, these are practically soundproof walls. Even if any other Obelisks are in their rooms, the chances of them hearing you are slim to none." She sighed and rolled her eyes in a bored fashion. "Well, now that we're done stating the obvious, I'd like to get down to business. Where would you like me to start? An arm? A leg? Perhaps an ear??" The sadistic expression on Mary's face was enough to give a soldier the shivers.

Annie, though she had faced down a vampire, was no soldier. But she knew she had to try something to get away. A year ago, she likely would've had an attack and passed out, resulting in Mary killing her without a fight. But now, she kicked out with one leg and Mary released her grip. "Violet, fight back!" Annie screamed again, trying to run, but her attacker was far too quick. Violet/Mary's hand snaked out and grabbed Annie's blazer again.

Mary frowned. "Well that was annoying." Shoving Annie roughly back against the wall, she raised the knife. "I know what we can do. Let's start with that pretty face of yours that the shrimp loves so much," Mary whispered, slowly sliding the very sharp blade across Annie's cheek. It was a deep cut, instantly staining the edge of the knife red as the same blood dripped down her cheek. Fortunately, the cut didn't go all the way through to her mouth.

Annie bit down on her lower lip. The blade felt like fire against her cheek, but she wouldn't cry out now. Her front teeth dug into her lip, drawing more blood, and if she survived this, she'd definitely have a fat lip. The blood from her lip and left cheek dripped onto the white part of the girl's uniform, heightening the ghastly look.

Mary's eyes lit up at the blood, as if it was a miner who had found the mother lode of gold. However, it also made something in Violet click, likely her hemophobia, or fear of blood. Mary's eyes widened and she pushed away from Annie, hands bloody as she clenched them into fists. "Damn it! You WILL get over this stupid fear of yours, Violet... And I WILL return to finish what I started!!"

Her eyes faded back to their normal green, and Violet stumbled a bit. Dazed, she brought a hand to her head, surprised at the wet feeling. Blinking a few times, she looked down at her hands and screamed upon sight of the blood. "WHAT DID I DO?!?!"

Annie's skin, what was not covered in blood, was now chalk-white. "V-Violet... M-Mary... came out... and... and..." Tears were flowing down her face, mixing with the blood and making her look more horrifying. She winced at the salty tears hitting her wounds, whimpering a little.

Violet shook, eyes wide and her own skin paling as she looked up at Annie. "ANNIE!!" The knife fell from her hand, clattering onto the floor. She took a step towards her, staring at the blood and feeling her stomach churn painfully. Violet gagged, and barely made it to the sink in the kitchenette to throw up her lunch.

With Violet no longer holding her up, Annie sank against the wall, trembling. But she forced herself to stay up and walk to the kitchenette. "V-Violet... please let me help," she asked, holding her friend's hair back and rubbing her back a little. "I'm... going to help you..."

Even after she was finished, Violet's body shook and she had to grip the counter as she straightened. Her hands left bloody smears on it as she did so, and she turned tear-filled eyes back towards her friend. "Annie... I hurt you... And I don't even remember doing it... I... I can't.. you're in danger..." she stammered, trying to pull herself together.

"I don't care... I'll face the danger... You're my best friend," Annie stated through her own tears. "I'll be all right..."

"No, you won't! I.. I can't stay here... I might hurt someone else, or... or worse!" Violet pushed off of the counter and made for the door, mind set on getting as far away from everyone as possible.

Annie tried to run after her... "Violet! No!" But she sank to her knees, dizzy from the pain and the loss and smell of her own blood. "Don't run!" she cried weakly.

Violet stopped momentarily, hand on the doorknob. "I... I'm sorry, Annie... I'm sorry that I hurt you and that I'm too weak to fight it!!" She opened the door and ran, not paying attention to the blood on her hands and face. 'I'll go to the abandoned dorm. No one goes there... She can't hurt anyone there,' she thought.

"Violet!" Annie cried out one last time before involuntarily surrendering to the blackness at the edge of her vision. She sank to the carpet unconscious. She awoke not quite an hour later, to her fiancé's voice.

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About half an hour after Mary attacked Annie and Violet ran from the scene, Alexis, Blair, Echo, Mindy and Jasmine emerged from the women's hot spring locker room dressed and refreshed. "That was really nice," Blair said with a calm smile.

"Oh, yeah... and no worries about tackle Marco Polo," Jasmine smirked at Alexis. She still remembered nearly three years ago when they'd first sat in the springs and Alexis had theorized about the guys and tackle Marco Polo.

Alexis smirked back. "I'm glad. This was for pure relaxation, girls. Leave the guys to their fun. I'm just wondering why Violet and Annie left so early..." There was a hint of worry in her tone as she spoke this last part.

Mindy looked thoughtful at this. "Hmmm... maybe they were both tired and just didn't want to say anything. Violet's worried about Bastion and Annie's been at the infirmary as much as she can be. We'll see them back there. That's where they were supposed to go, right?"

Echo nodded. "They were just going to stop by their room to get some things. They should be at the infirmary by now. I wouldn't be surprised if we found them both sleeping when we get there," she replied with a wry grin.

And so they didn't worry. The five young women walked casually to the main building to see the line of students wanting to visit Bastion. "Wow, they're still coming," Blair observed, stunned.

"Yeah... And he thought no one respected him," Jasmine murmured.

Alexis couldn't help but smile. "Maybe this will help him. He needs all of the 'good vibes', as Belowski would put it, that he can get."

They looked in on the Ra in his cubicle at the end of the infirmary, and he was dozing off. "All right, everyone," Miss Fontaine said to the onlookers, "many of you have study sessions to get to. When Bastion wakes up, you guys can come back," she concluded. A chorus of soft moans rang through the infirmary.

The girls couldn't help but laugh a little as the remaining Ras grudgingly left the infirmary. Alexis went over to Miss Fontaine, looking around for sight of their two friends. "Miss Fontaine, did Violet and Annie get back okay? They left the spring early."

Miss Fontaine looked up. "No, they aren't back yet, girls. I thought they were with you..."

Jaden and Syrus emerged from Atticus and Chazz's cubicles to hear this. "Hey, girls, babe... what's up?" the Slifer asked. Alexis told him. "Yeah, they should be here... Violet wouldn't be away from Bastion, unless she and Annie were tired and took a nap or something... Would they have called?" he asked Sy.

Syrus frowned. "Annie would have called to tell us they were staying there... Maybe we should call them... just to check where they are," he answered, worried.

"Okay... I'll try Violet and you try Annie." Jaden pulled his PDA from his pocket and punched the button for Violet's PDA. It rang. "Come on, Violet, answer!" he muttered.

Meanwhile, said teenager was making her way through the thick woods of Duel Academy Island, having calmed a little since she first ran. Blood still coated her hands and clothes, and though it was dried, she desperately wished to wash the crusty stuff off. Every accidental glance at it made her stomach churn with guilt and disgust. And then, her PDA rang, and she jumped in shock.

Violet shakily pulled it out, reading the caller ID and seeing Jaden's name. She bit her bottom lip, debating whether or not to answer, when there was a sudden blow to her mind. She gasped and stumbled, reaching up to clutch her head as her eyes flashed from green to red and back again. "N-No... you can't... I won't... let you," Violet whimpered, and with a cry of frustration and desperation she threw the PDA to the ground. Tears brimmed her eyes as she began running again, not looking back. "I'm sorry, guys..."

Back at the infirmary, Jaden groaned as the PDA went to voice mail. "This is Violet Haverbrook. Leave a message or the evil bunnies will sacrifice you to their giant chocolate idol!"

"Dang... she's not answering," he muttered. At the same time, Sy dialed his fiancée's number.

"Come on, Annie... pick up..." Syrus muttered, really worried now. "It's ringing..."

Meanwhile, Annie Hanson lay on her side in the living area of the suite. Blood splotches were on the light carpet and there was still fresh blood dripping slowly from the deep wound on her cheek and on her lower lip. Her PDA lay on the table next to the couch, but she could not hear it. Instead she lay in the painless unconsciousness, unaware of anything in that sweet blackness.

Syrus's eyes widened as Annie's PDA went to voicemail as well. "This is Annie Hanson. Leave your name and a message and I'll get back to you at the speed of light!"

His frown deepened as he hit the "END" button on his PDA, looking up at the others fearfully. "She didn't answer..."

"Maybe we should go check on 'em," Jaden offered thoughtfully. "I mean, Annie would wake up, most of the time, right?"

Syrus nodded. "She would. I doubt she's tired enough to be in a deep sleep... I say we go check on them too."

"Okay... Lex, can you come with us?"

"Yeah, I'll come. I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this," she admitted.

The three teenagers left the infirmary quickly, racing to the Obelisk girls' dorm. When they reached the third floor, it was eerily quiet. Most of the students were elsewhere or in their rooms studying. As they approached the suite, Jaden's eyes went wide. "The door's open... and..." The red stain in a hand shape stood out strongly against the white-painted wood. "Oh please, God, no," he half-prayed, heart sinking figuratively to his red boots.

Alexis silently gasped, bringing a hand up to her mouth. "Oh… oh, no," she whispered, eyes wide.

Syrus, who had been behind the two, frowned deeply at their reactions and moved around to the front so that he could see. When his silver eyes caught sight of the bloody handle, they widened to near inhuman size. "No... no, no... ANNIE!!!" he yelled fearfully. Syrus didn't hesitate; he ran forward and into the room, shoving the door out of his way. He came to an abrupt halt and nearly tripped, however, once he had stepped inside. "Oh my God," he whispered almost inaudibly.

The room had many blood stains. There was blood on a white wall, splotched on the carpet and lying on the floor, on her left side in a blood-spattered uniform, was Annie. Her skin was very pale and her face appeared swollen. "Oh, man!" Jaden shouted. "VIOLET, WHERE ARE YOU?!" He charged to the two bedrooms and bathrooms, into the closets and then headed into the kitchenette, which of course was nasty thanks to the melting pudding pops and what Violet had deposited in the sink. "Someone got sick in here... Must've been Violet... I'm going to call Miss Fontaine," he said, getting calmer, knowing that panic would not serve now.

Syrus was kneeling beside Annie, carefully pulling her head into his lap. "Annie... Annie, come on... wake up..." he said loudly. He knew that she was alive, for her chest was rising and falling with the steady breathing of unconsciousness. Alexis had gone to one of the bathrooms to get a wet washcloth as Jaden dialed Miss Fontaine.

The Slifer shivered as he dialed. He got in contact with the nurse and she told him to bring Annie if she was strong enough to be moved. He hung up and moved to check Annie's still-unconscious form. "No other wounds on her... If there were... she'd have been dead by now... This is all from her cheek... and... oh, she must've tried not to cry out... But... where's Violet?" he wondered.

Alexis returned with the washcloth and handed it to Syrus as she joined the two boys on the floor beside their friend. "Well... if there was blood on the door, she must've left. Question is... is she Violet right now... or Mary?" Alexis asked quietly as Syrus began wiping away some of the crusted blood on Annie's face.

"I'd guess Mary," Jaden murmured as Annie moaned weakly at her fiancé's touch.

"Annie!! Annie, please wake up!" Syrus pleaded, holding her head in his lap. By now her cut had stopped bleeding and crusted over a little bit, along with her lip. But there was a small puddle of blood soaked into the carpet and drips of it were on her white uniform blazer.

Her eyes opened slowly. "H-honey?" And then she remembered what had happened as the smell of blood assaulted her nostrils. "Where's Violet?!" she yelped, and then whimpered as her cheek pulled and started bleeding slowly again. "She's... she's in trouble..."

"Annie, take it easy," Jaden tried, Alexis kneeling with him. "It looks like a house of horrors in here!"

"We only got here a few minutes ago, Annie. We found you unconscious... What happened?" Alexis asked, placing a damp washcloth to the cut and pressing down.

Annie shivered weakly. "Violet... Mary took over and... got me... it wasn't Violet," she moaned. "She... wanted to kill me... but Violet...stopped her..."

The three teens exchanged worried glances. "Annie... where's Violet now?" Syrus asked, brushing a few bloodied bangs out of her face. If Mary managed to take over again, anyone she ran into would be in trouble.

"I...I don't know... she said she needed to get away from people so she wouldn't hurt anybody... Oooh," she groaned, stomach feeling queasy.

"We have to do something," Jaden groaned, putting on a pair of rubber gloves from the suite's medical kit and wiping the worst of the blood from Annie's face. "And you're gonna need stitches, Annie..."

Alexis pulled out her PDA. "I'll call the guys. Should I call the teachers, too?"

"I don't know... If they need to call out an alert, it could be bad," Syrus muttered.

"I...I can wait," Annie tried to say, but then her stomach twisted.

Jaden quickly grabbed a nearby waste basket and the bloody girl threw up into it. "You can't wait," he countered, worried. She was as pale as a pie crust, and he could tell she might be going into shock.

"Come on, Annie. We'll take you to the infirmary and then we can think of what to do about Violet," Syrus agreed, carefully lifting her into his arms.

Alexis nodded. "I'll call the guys and tell them to meet us at the infirmary on the way there."

Annie shivered, hating that her body wasn't cooperating. "Violet'll get in trouble..."

"Annie, the teachers know it wasn't her fault. They'll be worried about where she is too... Right, Jay?" Syrus asked, standing and keeping Annie securely in his arms.

"Yeah... though if Mary kills somebody, it'll be Violet's DNA on the crime scene," Jaden groaned.

"Well, we just have to trust that Violet won't let that happen. I mean, she stopped Mary when she was trying to kill Annie, right? And plus, if she was trying to get away from everyone... maybe she won't run into anyone else," Alexis said thoughtfully as they headed out of the room.

"Man, I hope not," Jaden sighed, praying like heck that Mary didn't take over. Annie, meanwhile, laid her head weakly against Syrus's chest, unable to do anything else as Jaden and Alexis began to dial their friends.

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In the infirmary, Miss Fontaine was waiting with disinfectant and stitches. "Oh, my goodness... Annie... we'll get you patched up... Why did she go at your face?" she asked, cleaning the wounds out as the girl sat in a comfortable chair.

"She... she wanted to make me ugly," Annie murmured, bearing the pain that had to come.

Syrus frowned. "Well, Annie... Even if you need stitches, you still look beautiful to me... You always will," he stated truthfully.

Annie looked up at him as Miss Fontaine filled a syringe with a numbing agent. "I know... because you don't care how I look..."

Syrus took her hand, smiling a little and nodding. "I'll stay here with you, Annie..."

Miss Fontaine made the injection and started to stitch. It took a few minutes, but she was through quickly. "The scar will fade in time, Annie... how does it feel?"

"My face is numb," the girl answered truthfully. The shot had deadened the left cheek, and so Annie could feel nothing.

"Okay... your lip doesn't need stitches, but don't eat anything too salty this evening," the nurse stated. "You're a very lucky young lady. If that had gone through to your mouth, you'd be on an IV for your dinner." Annie nodded, knowing that possibility all too well.

And then there was a knock on the infirmary door; the others had arrived, but weren't sure if they should come in from what Jaden and Alexis had told them. "Jay, is Miss Fontaine finished yet?" Jesse called through the door.

"Annie, are you okay?" Jaden asked. Annie nodded, gripping Sy's hand. "Yeah, c'mon in, Jess!" he called back.

The door opened and the rest of the gang entered, expressions a mixture of worry and fear. "Annie, are you all right?" Echo asked for them all, frowning.

"Yeah... just... shaken up... I've got to find Violet... She's so upset," the girl said, worried, getting up from the chair the nurse had her in.

Syrus stood with her. "Annie, don't push yourself. We'll find her..."

Annie shook her head. "I have to... she needs me..."

Syrus nodded. "We know. But we need to think about where she could have gone. We can't just go searching blindly...the island's huge."

"Hmmm... the old lab or the Horakhty dorm might be places she'd run," Jaden mused. "It makes sense..."

"Well, the Horakhty dorm's closer, so let's start there," Alexis agreed.

"But before we go, we need to be prepared. If Mary has taken over again, she'll be really dangerous," Jim stated.

"Yeah," Adrian agreed, eyes serious. "Sid's staying with Mom... Otherwise, he'd be following me and Echo..."

Axel was already thinking through his personal arsenal. "We might need a taser..."

"No... that'll hurt her," Annie groaned.

"Annie, we may not have a choice here," Adrian countered.

"A taser would likely be the least painful defense weapon we have," Echo added. "And it would stun her long enough that we could get her under control."

"But... Mary'll use that," Annie answered, worried.

"Whaddya mean, Annie?" Jesse asked, confused.

"Mary's feeding her what Darkness did... that we hate her and that she'll be alone in the end," the girl moaned softly. "There has to be another way to get her under control..."

"Annie... there may not be another way," Axel tried, as gently as he could. "And that'll just knock her out..."

"She'll understand that we only did it to help her and so that no one else would get hurt. We'll explain that to her," Syrus added, squeezing Annie's hand reassuringly.

Annie shivered. "Okay... but it can't be all of us going in there... That'll scare her..."

"Well, why don't we all go? But when we get to the dorm, only a few of us will go in," Alexis offered. That way they would still have back-up.

"Okay... sounds good," Annie answered, and then realized something. Her uniform still made her look like something out of a horror film. "I... think I need to change..."

Alexis smiled. "I thought you'd say that. So I asked Mindy and Jasmine to bring down a spare uniform for you."

"Thanks," Annie stated gratefully, taking the proffered uniform and heading to the bathroom. She was changed in a few minutes, and she and the able-bodied members of the group headed out.

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Meanwhile, Violet had spent the hour and a half that she was alone exploring the Horakhty dorm's first floor. She now sighed as she sat on a dusty old bed in one of the rooms, the only light coming through the boarded-up window. Violet knew they would come looking for her, and she decided she'd handle that problem when it arrived. For now, she was forced to deal with Mary on her own.

Said person's reflection appeared in an old, cracked mirror on the opposite wall, arms crossed over her chest. "I had her right where I wanted her. Why did you have to go and stop me?" she growled angrily.

Violet glared at her. "Because I told you, I want you to stop hurting my friends. They don't deserve to die."

"Ha! Says you. You don't know what I know."

"And just what do you know?!" Violet stood, fists clenched in anger.

"More than you. For instance, I know it's useless to fight me. I'm going to end up taking over anyway... and soon it'll be for good..."

"You're wrong!"

"Ha ha, we'll see about that...."

_It seems that Mary and Violet are now fighting for control. What will the confrontation with the group lead to? Will Violet be saved? Find out next time in "Showdown." Until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	40. Showdown

Chapter XL: Showdown

_Hello again, everyone and welcome back to "Darkness Falls!" Sorry for the delay, but we had to rework a section. We hope you like the rework that we came up with. So on with the story!_

_Last time, Violet left the infirmary with her friends and went to the Obelisk girls' wading pool/ hot spring. She had to fight Mary off and then asked Annie to go with her back to their suite. Annie complied and then Mary attempted to kill Annie. Violet took control and fled, while Annie passed out. The gang found Annie, while Violet took refuge in the Horakhty dorm, Mary continuing to torture her. And so our story continues…_

_**Disclaimer: Please see the previous chapters… Our lawyers, if we had any, would thank you.**_

As Mary continued to mentally torture Violet, the small strike force headed toward the once-stunning Horakhty dorm. "I keep expecting this to be a mirage," Yusuke Fujiwara sighed as the old building came into view. "I keep expecting the dorm to turn back into what it was years ago... But it's not going to change..."

"Well, who knows? Maybe they'll decide to renovate it like they did the Slifer dorm," Alexis replied musingly.

"It was a great place... I remember when Atticus and I played pranks on Zane," Yusuke snickered.

"Pranks?" Jaden asked eagerly, his brown eyes lighting up with mischief.

Alexis sighed. "That doesn't surprise me... He still plays pranks on Zane, as well as anyone else in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Yeah... but ours together were priceless... when I felt like it," Yusuke stated. "We actually got his boxers up on the flagpole one time..."

Syrus's eyes nearly popped out of his skull at that. "You did?! He never told us about that!"

"I'm not surprised. The mighty Kaiser... with Kuriboh boxers... Not something he'd mention," Yusuke said drily. Despite the seriousness of their current situation, everyone cracked up.

"You're right. He never told me about that either," Alexis snickered, smirking.

The gang's laughter was abruptly broken on the edge of the woods next to the dorm as Axel's army boot crunched down on something. He looked down to see something silvery, about the size of a first-generation Apple iPhone. "Guys... she's definitely been by here," he stated, picking up the PDA. The PDA had a pink border around its edges, and on the back was a large Watapon decal. Students were allowed to decorate their PDA, so long as it was appropriate and didn't harm the PDA or the PDA system.

"This is Violet's... Nobody else has a Watapon decal like hers," Annie murmured, examining it carefully. "She must've... she threw it... She's trying to keep us away."

Some of the group looked over at the abandoned dorm, sitting there like the cliché buildings in horror movies or games looking all innocent. And then as soon as you enter, all Hell breaks loose and you're trapped. "She doesn't want anyone else getting hurt," Rosa stated; that exact thought was in everyone's mind.

"Well... I have to go in there... Mary's telling her that she'll always be alone and that we won't be there for her... I've got to prove her wrong," Annie said softly, eyes burning.

"Sam Hill, Private Annie, she's already out for your blood!" Tyson yelped.

"I know... and if it comes down to it, it's Mary or me... I fear no evil," she murmured. An unusual peace was descending upon the dark-haired girl.

"Annie," Syrus said softly, taking her hand. He looked at her with a concerned frown, the same emotion radiating from his big, silvery eyes. "I don't want you to get hurt again... maybe worse..."

She was starting to feel the pain in her cheek again from the damage Mary had inflicted. And again Annie could see in her husband-to-be's eyes what nearly losing her had done to him. But she also knew she could not back down, and she could not allow other people to do this for her. "Honey," she murmured, pulling him into a strong hug, "I have to do this. Violet has to know I mean what I said, that I would put my life on the line to get her back. And I think that she will be able to hold Mary back. Syrus... I have to, like you had to do what you did when Jaden was missing..."

Syrus hugged Annie back, holding her close and listening to what she said. Yes, he knew all of that. Yes, he knew he'd done much the same thing. He just couldn't help but be protective of her after all that had happened. He couldn't lose her now, not after all they'd been through together. Syrus sighed, realizing what he had to do as well. "Then... then I'm coming with you. I'm not letting you face her by yourself. I want to be able to protect you if something happens."

Her face softened, and she got a small smile on her face. "Okay... I figured you'd go in with me... We'll get her back... We have to... and not just for her..." What didn't need to be spoken was that if Violet could not be saved, Bastion would be lost as well. And the same theory applied if Bastion could not be saved; Violet would be lost soon after. It was not only for them that this was true, however. The four main couples, who had strengthened their bonds first as friends and then as lovers, all had that weakness. If their love was lost, they would be in some way, shape, or form as well. Bastion had been lost to Darkness after Violet, and Tyson was nearly lost to that same Darkness after Rosa. Back in the present time, Syrus nodded seriously. "You're right. We need to go in there and help her, and bring her back." He meant this in both the physical way and the mental way.

"Okay... let's go." The group arrived at the gates of the dorm and though the place looked innocent, they could sense malevolence. Annie took a deep breath, going forward. "VIOLET!" she shouted. "I'M COMING IN!!!" She knew yelling out was risky, but at least Violet would know Annie had followed her.

There was no answer, so a smaller group headed inside. It consisted of Annie and Syrus, as well as the four strongest boys; Axel, Adrian, Jim, and Tyson. It was dim and quiet in the dorm, everything still and unmoving. Syrus pulled out one of the flashlights they'd brought with them and turned it on. "Well, let's start looking."

"Violet," Annie called.

"Sam Hill... Syrus... this place is... like we're in an episode of Scooby Doo," Tyson muttered, unable to hide some apprehension.

"You aren't scared, are you?" Axel asked with a mischievous look in his eyes.

"'Course not... are you?" Tyson answered, trying to look as tough as he could.

"Nope..."

"How 'bout we keep quiet so we can listen for her, mates?" Jim stated, glancing at the two army boys. After all, he was used to tracking animals back home, and the same rules about being quiet applied to searching for a person.

"Good idea," Adrian agreed, softly. "But no one splits up, even though we'd cover more ground..."

Annie caught something in the dust of the floor. "It's her... I see her footprints," she whispered, pointing at definite imprints. They led to a bedroom off the common room and Annie tiptoed forward. She moved close to the door, noticing that no one had exited the room. "She's here... I know she's here."

"What should we-" The sound of something hard hitting the wall, followed by shattering glass interrupted Syrus.

Violet had been mentally arguing with Mary's reflection, and in a fit of desperation had thrown a table lamp at the mirror. Of course both had shattered, and she now stared shakily at the pieces. 'They look sharp... Maybe... It would stop her... Everyone would be safe,' she thought, breathing heavily. Violet reached down and grasped a jagged-looking piece of the mirror, wincing as it cut into her hand. Her back was to the door, and she had no clue that her friends were just outside.

Annie opened the door and saw her best friend holding the deadly implement and knew she had to be the one to stop it. "VIOLET! NO!" she shrieked, running forward and wrapping her arms around the purple-headed girl. "I won't let you!" She was holding Violet from behind, as tightly as she could.

Violet tensed in shock, still gripping the piece of mirror as she craned her neck back to see Annie. "A-Annie? What... are you doing here?" she stammered. She placed her free hand on the shorter girl's arms, pulling out of the hug so that she could turn to face her fully.

"I told you... I'm not leaving you alone," Annie answered, her eyes burning intensely. "You're my best friend and if you're in trouble, I'll help you fight... even if it means I'm putting my life on the line to do it!"

"But Annie... I hurt you... And she wants to do it again... I can feel it..." Mary was tapping at the edge of her consciousness again, obviously working to take control.

"Let go of that glass... Violet, please..." Annie could sense what her best friend was thinking. "You... can't... I won't let you..."

Violet's head dropped, bangs shadowing her eyes as she gripped the already bloody glass. "I… I can't..."

"I won't let you hurt yourself... Violet, you can't..."

"N-No... I can't... because I... I..." Violet lifted her head to reveal blazing red eyes. "I need it to KILL YOU!!" Mary shouted, moving to charge at the unsuspecting brunette.

"ANNIE!! Look out!" Syrus yelled, glad he'd been standing only a foot or two behind his fiancé. He ran forward, slamming into Mary's mid-section so that they both hit the ground.

The wind was knocked out of her, but she managed a few words. "Why… you... little... DIE!" Mary growled out, lifting up the makeshift weapon.

Annie charged back, ready to take the blow, but Tyson, Adrian, Axel and Jim raced in and managed to grab Mary/Violet. "No way you're hurtin' her, Mary!" Tyson growled.

"You aren't going to get free," Adrian added, holding her as tightly as he could without hurting her.

"And we can stop you," Axel stated as calmly as if he were dueling.

"Now don't make us get violent with you," Jim added in warning.

Mary scoffed, obviously unphased by their words as she dropped the piece of glass. "Well of course I won't be able to fight four against one. That's just plain unfair. But that doesn't mean I'm giving you what you want."

Annie was down at Syrus's side. "Are you all right?" she asked him, holding his hand as she checked him for injuries.

He nodded, sitting up. "I'm fine. A little dizzy from when I crashed into her, but that'll go away. Are you okay?"

"I will be," she stated, helping him up. "Guys... let her go... If Mary's going to be stopped, I have to help... no matter the cost..."

"Annie, are you sure? Shouldn't we go somewhere a bit safer?" Jim questioned, frowning.

"You should listen to your friend, you know. I don't need much to kill you. One hand is plenty," Mary stated in a light tone.

Annie looked at the burning red eyes, the calmness coming back into her. "It won't matter where I confront you, because you want me dead... And I'd rather deal with you now, because I know something you don't care about, Mary..."

"Oh? And what's that?" Mary countered, smirking.

"Bastion loves her, and right now, he needs her... He will never stop loving her... and he will fight hard to keep you from taking her over, and I won't give up on Violet... I will fight this through with her, even if you decide to kill me... She is like my sister, and I won't let my sister be destroyed by you!"

Mary stared blankly at Annie, like she had said something utterly stupid. "Destroyed by me? I'm the only one who doesn't want to destroy her, you stupid girl!"

"Well, we don't want to destroy her," Tyson growled, ready to grab her again if it came to that. "We're her friends and we ain't abandonin' her..."

"HA!! You say that now; so did her old friends. And look what happened. Feelings change. I'm the only one she can count on to stay by her side forever, because I'm part of her," Mary shot back, arms crossed over her chest.

"Tell us, Mary...why would we knowingly go here to bring her back if we weren't her friends?" Axel asked, dark eyes meeting the blood-red ones.

Mary rolled her eyes. "Like I said, you may feel this way now. But that doesn't mean you always will. Triana, Mike, and Cherri all would have done this had it happened before the incident. But that doesn't mean it would have changed anything."

Adrian also met her eyes. "Then how do you explain away Bastion going so far as risk his health and his life to get her back from the woman who tried to have him first? He turned her down and took her down to save Violet!"

Mary smiled. "I know. If there's one person out of any of you I'd trust to stay with her, it's him. But he's not good enough. I've given him every chance possible to prove himself, and every time he failed. If he can't protect her, then he's the same as the rest of you."

"Because he couldn't be in two places at once? You can't be in two places at once, Mary," Annie countered dangerously. She was going to fight the dark half of Violet with everything she had in her head, heart and body if necessary.

"I don't need to be. I'm right here with her at all times," Mary reminded simply.

"But you can't protect her..."

"And why not?!" That seemed to definitely hit a nerve with Mary. How dare Annie make such a false statement!

"Could you protect her from Mike or Taniya? Could you stop them? If you could, why didn't you?" Annie demanded, eyes flashing.

"I told you! I was testing Bastion! And as for the first time that monster harmed her, I wasn't fully formed yet. It was that incident that gave me real consciousness," Mary explained deftly. She wasn't giving up that easily.

"What about in Cleveland? What about then?!" Annie wouldn't let up. "Or back in South Royalton? What about then?!"

"Well that's simple. And this should make you quite happy," Mary stated, looking away with a frown. "She suppressed me. I could have easily taken over and killed her attackers. But she was scared. She didn't want them harmed. It's why she herself didn't lay a hand on them. And trust me, she could have."

"It's because killing won't solve the problem, and you know she'd end up in jail," Annie answered evenly. "In case you've forgotten, Mary, she'd get charged for your actions..."

Mary's brows furrowed, fists clenching. "Killing will solve the problem. Once you're dead you can't hurt that person any longer. Death solves everything, and I'll solve all of her problems."

"So you're saying you'll get rid of her?!" Annie demanded, eyes wide as she understood a very dark possibility. If Mary had to, she could take control and kill Violet and herself with one stroke. "Is that it?!"

"I'd leave before laying a finger on her, idiot! Don't accuse me when you don't understand!" Mary countered fiercely, eyes blazing like two burning coals.

"Well, what did you just say?! 'Death solves everything, and I'll solve all of her problems!' What does that mean?" Annie shouted.

"That means if I find anyone to be a problem, I'll kill them! And that includes every one of you!" Mary answered just as loudly.

"Well, what happens when your actions get her arrested for multiple homicides? Do you think you can kill everyone?!"

"I can very well try. And if I fail her, then I deserve the same death as anyone else."

"And what happens to her?" Annie asked, dropping her voice to a calmer tone.

Mary's gaze dropped to the floor. "I don't know. I'm only doing what she wanted to do all those years ago."

"So you just want to do what you want to do, and she takes the fall and you disappear... How convenient," Annie stated bluntly.

Mary's fists clenched as her eyes closed tightly. "I told you! I'm only doing what she wanted to do!"

"She may have wanted to, but she held back because she knew it ultimately wouldn't solve anything. She'd still be hurt and the pain wouldn't end with them; it would grow. So she'd go out into the night, trying to find someone else to take out her pain on," the dark-haired girl continued calmly. She had to break through to Mary, to Violet… This had to work.

"Then what do you suggest?!" All that Mary had been created from was being torn to pieces.

"She needs to talk it out, and face what's hurting her. Instead of hurting other people because she's in pain, she needs to confront that pain and deal with it. And she needs to let the people who love her help her. And I would give up my life if it would help her." Annie held Mary's gaze, the truth showing in her blue eyes.

Mary looked away, frowning deeply. "Killing, hate, and anger is all I know."

"Then look through her eyes," Annie said. "See through her mind... and know love... know the truth of it..." Annie took a step forward, taking her life in her hands. She knew this creature was capable of murder, and yet she had to try to convince her of the truth of humanity's good side. "There is love and joy in this world... Violet knows it... And she knows that I won't abandon her, and the pain is not forever. And Mary... you don't have to know only hatred, anger or killing... it doesn't have to be that way..."

"But that's how I came to be. How can I change that?"

Annie took another step forward. "Let me try..."

Mary blinked. "What?"

Annie took another step, holding out her arms, completely vulnerable. "Let me show you one thing about love between friends..."

Mary stared at her. "Uh... what are you doing??"

"I'm going to hug you..." The boys looked at each other, wondering if Annie had gone crazy.

"Annie... are you sure?" Syrus asked worriedly. If Mary decided to spill Annie's blood during the hug… He didn't want to think of the possibility.

She nodded. "Mary needs to know..."

"How can you trust me like this? I can kill you right now," Mary stated.

"Because you're part of Violet," Annie answered simply. "And look through her eyes... see how we've always been..."

Mary fidgeted. The only thing holding her back from killing Annie was the possibility of helping Violet even more this way. "I… don't know how to hug exactly," she muttered.

"Hold your arms out... and look through her mind, and then do as I do," Annie said calmly. She knew Mary could hurt her, but she knew so much hung in the balance if she didn't do something. Mary hesitantly moved her arms up, holding them out like Annie was. She tried to focus on the fact this would help Violet, and that's what she wanted. Annie moved forward and wrapped her arms around her friend's body, trying to help the dark soul that possessed Violet's body. "It's okay," she murmured. Mary tensed, slowly returning the hug and obviously unsure. But she felt something melt on the inside, and seconds later Violet's body went limp in Annie's arms. Annie gasped, sinking to her knees with her friend. "It's all right... I've got you," she murmured, knowing that somehow she'd stopped the dark presence.

"Private Annie... what were you thinkin'?" Tyson wondered in awe. "You were..." And then the understanding that came with being a child of a soldier. "Wait a sec... this was your battlefield... and you were pullin' her back... even with the gunfire..."

"Yeah," Axel stated softly, impressed that this rather timid girl had held her own, risked her life and neutralized the threat without violence. "There are different sorts of battlefields... And Annie, you did well on yours..."

Syrus sighed in relief and kneeled beside Annie, putting an arm around her. "I'm glad you're all right... I was so worried she'd hurt you again..."

"Do you think she's gone for good?" Jim asked.

"No idea," Annie answered, keeping her friend in her arms. "We'll know when Violet comes to. Violet?" she called softly. "Violet, wake up..."

But Violet was exhausted and unconscious, and didn't look like she'd be coming to any time soon. "Let's get her back to the infirmary. Miss Fontaine will need to look at that hand," Jim stated.

"Yeah," Adrian agreed, moving to carry her. Annie bandaged Violet's hand with a handkerchief she owned and together, the group left the dorm.

Yusuke sighed in relief along with the others who'd remained outside as the group of five came out. "You guys all right?" he asked.

"Violet's hurt... but I think she'll be okay," Annie answered, relieved.

"And Mary?" Alexis asked.

"We... won't know until she wakes up," Annie sighed, hoping that Mary was at least better, but wondering if she was gone for good.

"Well, then let's get back to the infirmary. At least no one was severely injured this time," Echo stated.

"Yeah," Adrian answered, carrying the unconscious girl in his arms.

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When they arrived in the infirmary, Chazz, Atticus, Rosa and Marcel were out of bed, looking out from their cubicles. "HOLY CRAP!" Chazz yelped, having not seen Annie when she was brought in after Mary had harmed her. "What the heck happened?!"

"We'll explain in a minute, guys. Okay?" Syrus replied, knowing that the other three hadn't seen her either.

"Uh, sure... Looks like we missed a lot," Atticus stated, blinking. "Si. Tyson, you had better tell me what happened," Rosa added, looking expectantly at her fiancé.

Tyson nodded, helping his fiancée back to bed. The other patients were escorted back to bed and as Miss Fontaine took care of the damage to Violet's hand, the group went over the events of the past few hours. "...So I think Mary's at least restrained," Annie finished, "if not gone..." She sighed. "I just want Violet to be okay..."

"What if Mary is still there and dangerous?" Syrus asked, frowning.

"Then... we help Violet as long as it takes," Jaden asserted. "You guys helped me... and I know I'll help Violet get through this..." The rest of the group nodded in agreement as Miss Fontaine worked over the unconscious young woman.

_The shadow may or may not have been banished, and Violet's future may be unclear. So next time, please join us for "Violet's Unexpected Challenge." Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you, as always, from the bottom of our hearts!_


	41. Violet's Unexpected Challenge

Chapter XLI: Violet's Unexpected Challenge

_Hello again, everyone. We apologize for the delay again as Peach again had a busy schedule chasing after her adorable nieces and then as she had to perform accounting work for a good friend. Anyway we hope this was worth the wait. So on with the chapter…_

_Last time, the gang confronted Violet/Mary at the Horakhty dorm after Violet/Mary tried to kill Annie. Annie chose to confront her friend's dark side, and got her to stand down. But did it work? Stay tuned…_

_**Usual disclaimer: We just own our OCs, this storyline and this version of the Yugi-verse. Of course we don't own the franchise! We just play in it!**_

_Authors' notes: We will see a representation of Violet and Mary's shared mind. Further, there is mention of mental illness, not Mary-related. Also, Mary has… a bit of a potty mouth, but no more than a PG or PG-13 movie. Thank you for your attention._

As Miss Fontaine gently treated and patched up Violet's bloody hand, within the girl's mind, Mary took a deep breath. The red-eyed doppelganger of Violet Angeline Haverbrook, clad in a black boat-necked top and skirt, strutted over from her corner of Violet's mind to Violet's side of the mental neighborhood. "Hey, Violet! Where the hell are you?!" she demanded loudly.

Mary's side of the neighborhood, from the outside, was represented by what appeared to be the door to an old Victorian mansion. Inside had originally been a hellish landscape, filled with unidentified corpses and pools of blood. But now, in the wake of Mary realizing love and kindness, the place had changed into something a bit more inviting. It appeared to be the interior of a mysterious old Victorian mansion; perhaps something out of a horror movie before things went horribly wrong.

She now wandered to Violet's door, usually a 6-paneled white door covered with Watapon decals, pictures of her friends and recipes. But now, the door looked as if it had been painted over by Vincent Van Gogh in one of his manic periods. "Oh boy," Mary muttered, knowing what she was about to deal with was not going to be easy. "This is partly my fault... I went on the attempted killing spree and threatened to kill her friends... Oh, well," she muttered to herself. And so she opened the door into Violet's psyche.

Normally, the door would have opened to bright sunlight and a warm, welcoming breeze. Looking inside, one would find an endless grassy meadow beneath a bright blue sky dotted with white cotton ball clouds. However, at this moment in time, the room had taken a dramatic spiral into the disoriented. It was as if all of the colors of the world had mixed and run into one another, colors of every shade and hue blared out at the eye like the sound of city traffic during rush hour might blare out at the ear. Rather than a wide open landscape, the room had diminished to four solid walls, a ceiling, and a floor covered in the paint.

A better description might be several paint cans, each a different color of the rainbow, exploding all at once within the room. It would make Van Gogh proud and, perhaps, even a bit jealous. But right now, the room's owner was feeling no emotion of that sort. Violet sat in one of the room's four corners, hugging her knees to her chest with her chin resting upon her arms. Her eyes held a blank, vacant stare to them, though Mary knew that was only skin deep. Inside, her counterpart was as mixed up as the room's appearance.

If Mary had been another spiritual counterpart, like a certain ancient pharaoh was to a certain diminutive champion of a children's card game, she would've spoken softly to the troubled young woman. However, this was Mary... "VIOLET! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! GET OFF YOUR XXX AND TELL ME WHAT THE FXXX IS WRONG!" she shouted.

Any person in their right state of mind would choose between the two natural options: fight or flight. They would either stand and yell back, or scream and try to get farther away from Mary. However, Violet was not in the right state of mind at the moment. As such, she lifted her head slightly and turned it so that her emotionless green eyes met Mary's fiery red ones. "...Wrong?"

"Yes, wrong! Your side of the mind looks like a clown ate a Rainbow Swirl pop, confetti jimmies and multi-colored frosting and then threw up all over the place! Clearly, something is wrong! So talk to me, damn it!" Mary growled, not wanting to wait for answers.

Violet didn't react at all to the description or Mary's growl, not a flinch or grimace. Slowly, she stood, not stumbling though any other person would have in that crazy, confusing room. She continued to stare at her red-eyed clone, the pair looking like perfect twins. "You know what's wrong."

"Yeah, yeah, I know... I went psycho... And I'm sorry," Mary admitted. In here, she couldn't hide this and wouldn't now. Violet's emotional and physical health was at stake.

Violet swung her arms slightly, eyes finally leaving Mary to rove around the room. It was as if to her, it was one single color, not a mismatched, jumbled up rainbow. "You're sorry... sorry... I'm sorry." Her eyes darted back to her twin. "I made you."

Mary looked back at her. "Did you? Or was I always there?" she wondered, trying to snap her counterpart back to herself somehow.

That seemed to get through a bit, as Violet tilted her head. The colors in the room shifted. "Always there? Were you?"

"I wonder about that. Before that incident when I became completely aware, I remember times when you were hurting and I wanted to react... And then I went back to sleep... I think maybe I was always there," the red-eyed spirit stated.

This time when the colors shifted, they merged slightly, bringing more solidity to the room. "Always there... When I was lost in the mall?" the green-eyed teen asked, a hint of emotion in her voice.

Mary nodded. "Like that time... I remember you being terrified. And then your joy when your parents found you. Then I went back to sleep..."

The colors merged more, making the room clearer. "And... and when Dad tried to leave, but I chased after him?" Violet asked, voice holding the lightest undertone of sadness this time.

"That too... I was somewhat awake, but still powerless. And then on the day Mike attacked you the first time..." Mary's expression turned dark... "On that day, I started to have real power... At least, I started feeling obsessive about hurting those who hurt you..." The bloodlust was still there, but not as strong.

Finally, the remaining colors in the room were slowly locking into place, like the pieces of a puzzle. However, it was like trying to mix oil and an egg. No matter how much you stirred, the two just would not stay mixed, and the colors moved back and forth in uncertainty. "I was angry... so angry... and upset... I made that deck, but... but then I found it... here," Violet was murmuring, eyes now hidden by her bangs.

"Duel Academy," Mary stated as an image of the school came to their joined mind. "And in the summer, you talked... to Annie..." The image of the dark-haired girl, first smiling and then pleading in terror swam into Violet's counterpart's consciousness. "She helped you..."

"Annie..." Violet reached up a pale hand, brushing it against the shifting colors of a wall. "She saw... it was an accident, but she saw..." The colors swirled, primarily the orange and white, before drifting back into their semi-ordered state once more. And then, the sound of something plastic hitting the floor, and rolling slowly to the middle of the room.

"Do you remember how she reacted?" An image flew to both their consciousnesses.

_"It's okay, Violet... It's nothing to be ashamed of, really. I don't mind. I had to see a psychiatrist for a while when I was in elementary school and they put me on prescription stuff,"_ Annie's voice stated easily as her past self smiled in sympathy and understanding.

"She'd had depression and didn't think you were weird at all," Mary remembered.

Violet's hand curled into a fist. "She didn't... neither did the others... I... I thought it went away..." She finally seemed to gain some true emotion as she looked up at Mary, like a lost child looking for support from an elder sister. The room's color darkened to a deep blue. "Why is it back, Mary?! Why… I should be cured..." Tears slowly began to form in her eyes.

And the once bloodthirsty spirit, borne of Violet's pain and hatred, moved to her side and put her arm around the green eyed girl. "Maybe... you weren't... I got stronger when you were afraid in the first year... I got stronger last summer and then in the fall... Something's been eating away at you... you have to talk..."

Violet looked up at her in surprise and confusion. "Talk?"

"You have to tell them when you come to... that you're having trouble again. They know," the red-eyed girl stated calmly.

The green-eyed girl's head drooped. "But... but what if they..." Violet bit her lip; fear of rejection and abandonment still sat heavily with her.

Mary sighed, slightly frustrated. "Look, if they didn't reject you when they found out, what makes you think they'll ditch you now?!"

"I… I don't know... I just... I can't think straight..." Violet groaned, reaching up to hold her head. Her body began to sink down again, the colors of the room pulling farther away from each other.

Mary's hug became a grip of steel. "Oh, no you don't! Annie will tell you when you wake up what she did! She risked her life to get you back! And damn it, I am not letting you pull in! She fought me and knew I was probably going to kill her!"

Violet hung like a rag doll, Mary's grip the only thing keeping her up. "Annie... my best friend... my friends... Can they possibly help..?" she asked in a deadpan.

"They can, so get up, get out there, and get it in gear! Whatever's wrong, they're all going to help you fix it! And that guy of yours; he's going to need you back together soon! He needs you... and I misjudged him," Mary admitted softly.

"Bastion...?" Violet whispered, eyes coming into focus as she straightened. The reminder of her love and his current state seemed to be the bucket of cold water to her nightmare. "He needs me," she murmured. Now the world was fading to black as she came towards consciousness. "Mary, I want you to come with me."

"You've got it," Mary answered. "Let's go..." The room dissolved in a column of light and Violet and Mary could feel the return to the real world.

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"I think she's waking up," said a voice in the blackness of Violet's semi-consciousness. Her sense of hearing returned first, then her sense of taste- not that there was anything to taste, and then her sense of smell. She could faintly smell blood, but the smell of bleach and other sanitizers overpowered it greatly. Second to last came her sense of touch, and she grimaced at the pain radiating from her palm. "O-Ow," Violet whimpered, finally opening her eyes.

Miss Fontaine smiled as Violet's green eyes opened. "Welcome back," she smiled, laying the freshly bandaged hand down. "Violet, take it easy. From what everyone told me, you had a rough time."

"Violet?" Annie's tear-stained face came over her. "Violet... I'm right here... I promised I wouldn't leave."

"A-Annie...?" she mumbled, confused. The last thing she remembered was Annie confronting her in the abandoned dorm and then the…was it a dream?

Her eyes were the friendly green Annie remembered. "You're all right... you're all right," she said, tears in her blue eyes. "Violet... you were in the Horakhty dorm..." She took a deep breath. "Mary took over..."

Violet's eyes widened considerably, and she sat upright. "She what?!"

"She took over... and I talked her down..."

"You... you did?"

Annie nodded. "I told her that what she'd been thinking of doing... It wouldn't help you in the end. And I gave her a hug..."

Violet stared at her friend in shock. "Annie… you... You did all of that? You risked your life... for me?"

"You're my best friend... of course I would..."

"But you could've been killed!!"

Annie reached out and hugged her tightly. "I didn't care about that. I wanted you to be okay... and she was part of you..."

Violet shakily wrapped her arms around Annie, returning the hug. "She… she is... I made her… and didn't realize it until recently..."

"After what you went through... it's no wonder... but... is she still there?"

"I… I don't know... I could never tell... until she made herself known." Violet couldn't be sure that what had occurred in her head was a dream or reality.

Jaden looked at her. "Close your eyes and look for her in your head, Violet..."

Violet sighed and closed her eyes, trying to do as Jaden had said. 'Mary...? Mary, are you there?' she called.

'...Yes, I'm here,' came the answer.

Violet's eyes snapped open. "She's still here. But... she sounds weird."

"Weird? How so?" Jaden asked curiously for all of them.

"Violet?" Annie asked, shivering slightly.

"She sounds different... Like, instead of confident and loud, she's more quiet and calm," Violet explained, finding it hard to do so.

"So... she's not mad?" Tyson inquired.

Violet shook her head. "Didn't sound like it."

Annie took a breath. "Can we... talk to her?"

Violet's eyes widened. "Wh-What?? Why do you want to do that?"

"I, for one, want to hear her for myself," the other girl said calmly.

Violet frowned worriedly. "But... but what if it's a trick?"

"Then we'll know... and maybe this time... she'll let you be aware…"

"If you want her to be aware, then this is the only way," stated a familiar voice. Mary, in spirit form, looked at the group from behind Violet. Those with the gift to see duel spirits would be able to see the spirit girl.

"M-Mary?" Annie gasped, eyes wide. Everyone awake blinked. She looked like Violet's carbon copy, except for the eyes. The eyes were still ruddy, but with something that seemed like an earthy brown to them now.

"Duh. It's not like Violet has a twin or anything," Mary answered, rolling her eyes. Violet turned to stare at the spirit person who had practically driven her mad in shock. This definitely wasn't the Mary she was used to.

"So... are you okay with us now? You're not planning to kill us?" Annie asked.

Mary scoffed, leaning against Violet's side and letting her legs hang off of the bed. "No. If I was, don't you think I would have done it already?"

"I guess so... I'm glad you're not angry anymore," the dark-haired girl smiled, wincing at the sudden pain from her cheek and lip.

The spirit frowned and looked away. "Hey... sorry about that..." The apology was barely audible; it was obvious that Mary was a lot like the old Chazz in certain aspects.

Fortunately, thanks to her proximity, Annie heard. "Apology accepted," she smiled.

"So, welcome to our group, Mary!" Jaden grinned eagerly. _I actually got a break from having to duel,_ he thought in relief.

Mary scoffed. "You people sure are forgiving. I was out for your blood half an hour ago," she reminded, raising an eyebrow.

Jaden grinned. "Meh, Chazz was a jerk in our first year, Atticus, while under control of an evil guy we just took care of, tried to kill us... So what's your point?"

This caused Mary to blink a few times. "...Like I said, you people sure are forgiving. Geez..."

"They're just...understanding, Mary," Violet tried, smiling.

"It's how we all are," Adrian sighed, smiling. "None of us are angels here... And maybe that's a good thing..."

"Yeah... nobody's perfect, and you didn't kill anyone," Tyson pointed out.

"Guess you're right," Mary replied, standing up. "But we still have a problem, if you've forgotten."

The group sobered, looking at the curtained cubicle where Bastion slept. "Yeah... Bastion's still so sick," Jaden groaned.

"Afraid I didn't help with that problem. But I will now, if I can," Mary stated, eager to do what she could. _No running into other people's nightmares and killing them,_ she commanded herself without Violet hearing.

"Thanks, Mary, appreciate it," Jaden smiled. As the group talked on, Bastion turned over in his bed, tormented by his nightmares and the fever.

"Violet?" Annie asked after a few minutes, meeting her best friend's eyes. "How are you feeling?" It had been almost three years since the day Annie had found Violet's bottle of anti-depressants. Having had her own battle with it, she knew the depression might have resurfaced.

Violet frowned, gaze turning to the ground. Her eyebrows furrowed when she did so; it felt like even the white tiles were laughing at her for her problems. "Physically, mentally, or emotionally?" she asked quietly, surprising everyone. They certainly hadn't expected that as an answer.

Annie looked around at her friends and then back at the curtained cubicle. 'Darn it, Bastion,' she thought, 'I wish you were awake right now...' "Violet... I want to know the last two," she said slowly.

Violet looked back up, only catching her best friend's gaze for a moment before looking away again. "...You don't want to know the answer to that..."

Mary, standing beside her living twin, rolled her eyes in aggravation. "Here we go again. Why do you have to be so damn stubborn?!" she growled, eyebrows angling downward.

"Violet... come on... We all want to help," Jaden pointed out, knowing all too well what hurting mentally and emotionally meant. He met her green eyes with his brown ones, unblinkingly. "If you're worried about what we'll think, don't. We won't ditch you... You guys didn't ditch me."

Violet looked over at him, remembering that he had also been diagnosed with a mental disorder before. In fact, a few of their group had. She sighed, head hanging as she gave a real answer this time. "It came back... Annie, I'm not cured after all... it's back, and it's making me crazy again..." Violet reached up to touch her head, remembering the past week or so. Going from sad to angry in a heartbeat, having problems thinking clearly, seeing and hearing things that weren't there. It was worse than the last time.

Annie helped Violet into a sitting position again and hugged her tightly once more. "We'll ride it out again... Is anything different from when it started before?"

"It's worse... I can't control my emotions or how I act around you guys. I keep having problems whenever I try thinking too much about something. I'm seeing things and hearing things I shouldn't. I'm getting so paranoid," Violet frowned, pulling away and shaking her head. "You probably think I've lost it. This all sounds crazy," she muttered, burying her face in her hands.

Miss Fontaine and Annie exchanged glances. They might not be psychiatrists or psychologists, but they knew this wasn't like Violet's depression of a few years before. "Violet... sweetie... maybe you weren't diagnosed right," the nurse offered.

Violet looked at them in surprise and confusion. "What?"

None of the other students spoke, allowing Annie and Miss Fontaine to explain. "Annie, if you would, please?" the nurse smiled reassuringly.

Annie nodded and took a deep breath. "Violet, your psychiatrist and the psychologists might not have seen everything that was a problem in you emotionally and mentally. Maybe... maybe you're bipolar..."

_Cliffhanger! Does Violet have bipolar disorder? How will the group help her? How much angst and medical drama can your co-authors put into a story?! Next time, please join us for "Diagnosis." Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you, as always!_


	42. Diagnosis

Chapter XLII: Diagnosis

_Hello, again, dear readers and reviewers of "Darkness Falls," and welcome back! So last time, Mary and Violet had a chat and then Mary, Violet and the gang had a chat. And then, Annie and Miss Fontaine realized that Violet, who had previously been diagnosed with depression, might have bipolar disorder. What will happen now? Stay tuned and find out!_

_**Disclaimer: If you can read this, you know we don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise! We just own our storyline, our OCs and some pairs of animal print slippers. Thank you.**_

_Authors' note: This chapter deals with the symptoms and diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that affects millions of people worldwide. It is a very tricky disease to treat and is often misdiagnosed as clinical depression. We hope our portrayal of the disease and the diagnosis of it is accurate. Thank you very much and we hope someday that there is a cure._

Violet's eyes widened; obviously this thought frightened her far more than being depressed had. Being bipolar was serious, and possibly permanent. "B-Bipolar?? But... the doctor said it was just depression, and maybe a little anxiety disorder. H-How can I be bipolar instead?!" There she went again, suddenly shifting from horrible fear to confused anger.

"Violet... it would explain why you've been prone to go from really sad to really, really happy at times," Annie explained, aching for her best friend. "The doctors wouldn't have seen you when you were bouncing off the walls... They would've seen you when you were so sad..."

"But... but what if I'm not bipolar? What if it's something else? How can we know for sure? They could be wrong again..." Now Violet's paranoia was revealing itself, as it had when she'd been worried of what Mary was planning and why she hadn't made herself known that day until she took over.

"This time... we'll have someone look at you carefully and all of this will be examined," Miss Fontaine broke in. "We'll have Dr. Haninozuka talk to you, okay?" She referred to the school psychiatrist/psychologist who'd transferred in at the beginning of the spring semester.

Violet frowned. "The… the school counselor?" she asked worriedly. She hadn't exactly had good experiences with school counselors, even the previous counselor, Mr. Smith.

"Dr. Haninozuka is a psychiatrist in addition to being a psychologist. He's trained to look for mental disorders, Violet. Most psychologists are just trained for therapy," the nurse soothed.

The young woman still looked nervous and wary, but she knew this had to be done. She could only hope that Miss Fontaine's faith in this person was in the right and not the wrong. "O-Okay... do I… do I have to go alone?"

"No. You can go with someone you want with you. I'm sure it'll be all right," the nurse promised.

That comforted Violet quite a bit, remembering how Bastion had been with her for her counseling with Dr. Otani. Then she frowned, realizing that he couldn't be with her this time around. 'But then who should come with me?' she wondered nervously. Violet fiddled with her fingers as she looked at her friends, trying to decide who might be best and if they'd go with her.

If it were possible, all of the gang would go gladly. Unfortunately, they all knew only one could go with. "No one'll get hurt feelings, Violet. We all understand that you can't take us all physically," Adrian explained calmly.

Violet understood the meaning in his words. She couldn't take them physically, but they would be with her in her mind and in her heart. Violet managed a smile, a true smile, for the first time in a while. "I… I know..." She turned to her best friend, meeting her eyes. "Annie?" Violet asked, silently requesting that she join her for this.

Annie nodded, hugging her friend again. "Of course... I'll be with you through this whole thing... We'll ride it out..."

Violet hugged back, relieved that for now the matter was settled. "Annie... thanks... You've always been there for me, ever since we first met," she murmured sincerely.

Mary had been smirking in satisfaction, though at the hug that smirk became a smile. Before it lasted too long she scoffed, the smile disappearing. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be there too. Right now I'm going back to my soul room," she stated off-handedly. Mary disappeared, only because she didn't want anyone to see how glad she was that Violet was going to be okay.

Chazz, watching the scene, started to chuckle. "Why does she sound familiar?"

"Maybe because she sounds like you after you got back from North Academy?" Syrus offered, grinning.

"Yeah and most of my life," the youngest Rhodes sighed, still smiling, however.

Miss Fontaine made the call and got Dr. Haninozuka prepared to come down to the infirmary. "Violet, I'm going to run a few tests on you so the counselor is sure this isn't something medical."

"What kind of tests?" Violet asked, blinking in surprise. She had calmed down by now, but her emotions could shoot a different direction at any given moment.

"We'll run a CT or CAT scan on you... We'll have to draw some blood too... And we'll run an EEG," the nurse stated. "An EEG is pretty much a scan of your brain. We see how its electrical impulses are working and that could tell us if you were having small seizures or something."

Violet nodded, not minding the scans at all. That actually sounded pretty cool. But when the nurse brought up a blood test, her eyes widened and she went white. "B-B-Blood test? Do we… do we have to?"

"Yeah, Violet. We have to be very thorough," the nurse soothed. "I'll be right with you, just like I was in Domino," Annie said as gently, squeezing her friend's hand.

Violet opened her mouth to reply, but then suddenly closed it. She was silent for a long few moments, and then slowly nodded her head. "Mary said she could take over for that test. Since it doesn't have to do with my brain or anything, can... can she? Please?" she asked, looking up at Miss Fontaine hopefully.

"I'm okay with that," the redhead answered with a smile. "Dr. Haninozuka will be observing..."

"Haninozuka... why does that name sound familiar?" Jaden wondered.

Alexis looked at him incredulously. "You mean you don't remember, Jay?"

"It was Dr. Smith before," the boy said slowly. "And then... he transferred out after I got done... And we got a new counselor... I haven't had to see him yet."

"Uh... Slacker... Sy played him on Halloween?" Chazz groaned, face-palming.

"Sy was the new school counselor?"

Those present either face-planted or face-palmed; either way they all now had slightly redder faces. "Uh, Jay... I was Honey from the Host Club, remember? Haninozuka is his real name," Syrus finally managed to say, sweat-dropping.

"Oh...OH!" Jaden's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Honey-sempai! So... he's real?" Everyone fell over.

"No, Jaden. The school counselor just has the same last name," Alexis answered blandly, wishing he'd just get it already.

"Oh, okay." Jaden went silent as everyone got off the floor.

"Well, let's start with the blood draw," Miss Fontaine said gently, guiding Annie and Violet to the blood draw area. The dark-haired young woman squeezed her surrogate sister's hand.

Violet sighed, closing her eyes for a moment as if to collect herself. However, when she opened them, they were as red as the blood Miss Fontaine was about to draw out. Frowning, Mary looked down at the hand holding hers and then at Annie with a confused expression. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, hi, Mary. Violet was in control and afraid of the blood draw," Annie explained as they got into the seats in the area.

"Well duh, I knew that. Why do you think I took over?" Mary replied a bit snarkily. "That doesn't explain why you're holding my… her… our hand."

"She was afraid, so I was letting her know I was right with her," Annie stated as Miss Fontaine returned with the syringe and vials.

Mary still didn't understand the reason Annie needed to touch her, but decided to just drop it. She looked over at the nurse instead. "How does this work?"

"Hello, Mary," the nurse smiled, greeting the spirit as casually as any other student. "First I have to find a vein in your arm. Hold out your right arm. Annie, you can let go..."

"Okay." The dark-haired girl let go of her friend's hand as bidden and sat, trying not to fidget.

Where Violet would have hesitated and not dared to look, Mary simply stuck out her arm and stared. She was curious about how the nurse was going to get her blood without the use of a knife; surely that little needle couldn't do enough damage. The nurse took a rubber tube and tied it around Violet/Mary's forearm. And then she gently wiped the crook of the girl's forearm with rubbing alcohol, and a large purplish vein was exposed. Mary's eyes widened. "How did you do that?!" She didn't know her body could change colors.

Miss Fontaine looked up. "Oh, I didn't do anything. You see, Mary, that bluish-purple tinge in that vein indicates that the blood has lost oxygen. When exposed to the air, the blood will turn red again."

"I didn't know that," Mary muttered in awe, thoughts turning to other things as the nurse continued her work. Even if she was no longer evil and murderous, killing was the only thing she knew how to do well, and so her thoughts often turned to it. 'So if I strangled somebody, and then cut them... I wonder if their blood would be blue and purple,' she wondered.

And then Miss Fontaine, blissfully unaware of what was going through her patient's mind, stuck Mary/Violet with the syringe. "Okay, I just have to fill these vials," she said as the first little bottle filled up.

Mary flinched at the sudden jab, coming out of her thoughts and looking down at the needle. "Ow. How are you doing that? You only poked me. I don't see any blood... how is the vial filling up?" To say the spirit was confused would be an understatement.

"It's just a little bit, Mary," Annie explained as the nurse concentrated on her work. "The needle is a hollow tube that goes into the vein and on the other end of this tube is the test tube. When the vacuum seal is broken, the blood from your arm rushes into the tube."

"I didn't know you could get blood without cutting someone open… er," Mary said without thinking. She really _**was**_ trying to watch what she said, both on the cursing aspect and the gory talk.

Annie flushed a little, the recent attack still unnerving her. However, she managed to keep it in control. "Well, technology has advanced quite a way from that."

"Okay... what happens when she pulls it out?"

As she asked that, Miss Fontaine pulled out the needle. "There, all done," she said as she placed a cotton ball over the puncture wound and then a piece of medical tape.

"There's a little blood, but not much," Annie concluded, pointing at the now-covered spot.

"Oh. I don't know why this is so hard for Violet. That was nothing," Mary stated, prodding the spot with a finger.

"Everyone's afraid of something," Annie sighed. "I used to be deathly afraid of spiders..."

"Spiders? Why? You just squish 'em. They're not even that fun to ki- I mean... never mind," Mary replied, stopping herself from making another gory statement.

And then there was a call over the curtain. "Fonda! I'm here!" came a youngish-sounding tenor voice.

"Hi, Mark!" Fonda called back. "We'll be ready in just a second! Mary, you might want to switch back," she cautioned.

"Huh? Oh. Oh yeah!" Mary closed her eyes for a few seconds, and when she opened them they were once more their natural green color. "Is the blood test over?" Violet asked hopefully.

"All done, Violet, and Dr. Haninozuka is here," the nurse answered.

"It'll be okay, Violet," Annie soothed again, knowing how worried her friend was at facing the school counselor.

Violet sighed, still nervous about what was to come but determined to get it over and done with. "Okay... where is he?"

At Miss Fontaine's signal, the new DA counselor came through the curtain. "Hi!" he said eagerly. He was about Alexis's height with blonde hair and brown eyes, and wearing a blue Duel Academy staff uniform. He looked somewhat like a teenager, but in actuality was 30 years old. He sounded younger than his years, but that perhaps was a good thing.

Violet blinked a few times in surprise; she certainly hadn't been expecting _**that**_. He sounded happier than she figured he would, and looked way too young to be a psychiatrist and psychologist. "Uh, hi," she greeted back.

Annie couldn't say a word. 'He... he looks like an older Honey!' she thought, stunned.

As if reading her thoughts, the youngish counselor grinned. "Yeah, I've watched OHSHC too... People say it's not an accident that I look like Honey-sempai. So... you must be Violet," he greeted the purple haired girl.

It took Violet a moment to come back to reality after the anime connection, but she finally did with a sheepish grin. "Yeah, I'm Violet. Um..."

"You can call me Mark," he answered, turning a little bit serious. "Violet, I've had a look at your file and today, we're going to look at your brain activity and check the inside of your head for any medical problems, all right?"

She nodded. "Okay... I still don't see what a few pictures can tell you about my head, though."

"It'll tell me how your brain is acting and if you've had a seizure or if you have a brain tumor or something that might be affecting how you see the world," he answered.

She frowned at that. "It… it could be more than just a mental problem?"

Mark looked at Miss Fontaine, Annie and Violet before answering. "That's right, Violet. So we just have to be very, very sure before we put you back on anti-depressants."

Violet looked as if her mood was going to do a flip again. "Oh, no… oh, no… oh, no..."

Annie gripped Violet's hand tightly. "Violet... I don't think you have a tumor..."

Violet looked over at her with fearful eyes. "You… you don't?"

The dark-haired girl shook her head. "If you had a tumor, I think it would've been before all this that it hit you..."

"Y-You're right... it would have..." The purple-haired girl realized with a relieved sigh.

"All right," Mark said, "we'll just test to see what's going on. Fonda, you're running the full blood tests?"

"Mmmhmm, and we already have her blood tests on file. I haven't picked up abnormalities in the past few weeks."

"So, now I understand the scans, but... how can you tell something is wrong with my brain through my… urgh, blood?" Violet had to ask, confused.

"The blood tests would've picked up if, say, cancer was in your system," the nurse explained calmly. "It would also let me know if enzyme levels were elevated, if your hormones were out of whack or if other things were out of whack. Now I haven't done a blood test on you for over a month and a half, but at that time, nothing seemed wrong with you. Your blood tests came back normal."

"Okay... I guess we should probably get these scans over with, huh?" the teen asked, grinning sheepishly when she realized that she'd unconsciously been stalling.

"That's a good idea," Mark answered easily. They headed back past the group and Bastion's room to a special exam area in the infirmary with a large device that looked like a piece of plastic sticking out from a giant metallic doughnut. This was the CT scanner. "Okay, Violet, I need you to lie down on this bed," Mark said, patting the large plastic-like thing which was actually a soft, squishy bed. "We'll cover you over with a lead apron and then scan your head, all right?"

"All right," Violet answered, moving to lay down on the bed-like platform. She wasn't too scared about this test, aside from the normal nervousness one would get. 'It's… it's like getting an x-ray. Just... you go inside something for it… yeah,' she thought.

The platform moved forward a short time later, pulling her into the CT scan's center. The giant "doughnut" was humming and spinning and scanning her brain. "It's okay, Violet! Don't move, remember?!" Annie called out over the hum.

"I-I remember," Violet called back. She didn't like being in such a small space; unlike other girls her age, she'd never tried tanning beds. Watching a certain Final Destination movie will turn you away from that sort of thing for life. Instead, Violet tried focusing on the calming hum of the machine and the cool lights running back and forth. It was over within a matter of minutes.

The doctor and nurse looked over the scans briefly and decided to call to their patient. "Okay, Violet, you can get off the table now," Mark said.

Violet sat up, looking at the two medical professionals nervously. "Is... is everything okay?" she asked, voice wavering.

"We don't see anything to worry about, Violet, but honey, we'll take a look while you're hooked up to the EEG," Miss Fontaine said gently, "and that's next."

"The EGG?" Violet repeated, getting the spelling wrong and confusing herself. "How are you going to hook me up to an EGG?"

Annie sighed, smiling as the nurse and doctor moved to get the EEG equipment set up. "Violet, it's an EEG, an electroencephalography system. What they're going to do is put electrodes all over your scalp and see how your brain acts. It'll tell us if how you're feeling is a result of some kind of mental disorder or something else."

Violet didn't even bother trying to repeat "electroen" whatever. "So... oh, I think I know what that is! When I had to get my chest checked out a few years back, they hooked me up with the same stuff. At least this time I don't have to take my shirt off..."

"Nope... no shirt removal necessary," Annie smiled as they sat in chairs. The two medical professionals hooked Violet up very quickly.

"Violet, Annie's going to talk to you about things while we examine these readouts, all right?" Mark asked. "She's going to help you experience different emotions..."

"Umm... okay." It sounded like a strange way to have a test taken, but at least it would be easy.

What Mark wanted Annie to do was bring Violet through her happy manic moods and into the shadowy parts of her mind as well. Annie hated to do this, but already knew the rules of the physician. Sometimes, in order to cure, one must cause pain. "Violet... could you tell me about what Trueman showed you?" she asked.

Violet hadn't been expecting that. Her eyes widened, and her jaw fell open. "Wh-what?"

"Please, Violet... tell me," Annie said slowly, looking for all the world like a sad puppy.

"Do... do I have to?" Violet asked, voice nearly failing her.

Annie hugged her. "Please tell me... please," she murmured above a whisper wishing there was some other way to do this... But there wasn't. Dr. Mark needed to see Violet at her saddest and then later at her most manic.

Violet's head hung, causing her face to be buried in Annie's shoulder. She ground her teeth together, shaking slightly as her head slid further down so that her voice wouldn't be muffled. She could feel Mary running a hand over her head comfortingly- no, not her head. It felt more like it was on the inside, as if it was her brain. Pushing the distracting and slightly disturbing thought aside, she began to tell Annie what she had relived over and over, word by agonizing word.

Annie held her close, pushing away her own pain at hearing what Violet said she, Annie, had said in that hell, and focusing on her friend and patient. And then when Violet described Bastion's "betrayal," it all became clear. "He used everything that he could to make you think we'd reject you..."

Annie's shoulder had become wet; it was only then that Violet fully registered that she was crying. "W-well... it worked... I c-couldn't take it anymore, Annie... So I gave in... I gave up," she moaned, feeling ashamed. It was because of her that Bastion was bed-ridden, her mind screamed at her.

"Shhh... you've been through so much... And it's no surprise the depression came back," Annie soothed softly. "You fought it... and were hurting so bad... And if you're thinking that it's your fault Bastion's sick, it isn't... He's fighting his own demons and was probably feeling under the weather before he went in there..."

"M-Maybe, but... but I made it worse," Violet muttered, sniffling.

"No… I did," Mary said, speaking through Violet.

"But I let you," Violet countered, aware and yet not aware that Mary was speaking through her while speaking to her.

Annie wasn't about to let go of either of them now. "Don't blame yourselves now... Bastion hasn't fought out whatever's hurting him... Violet... Mary... now you're going to fight it... Maybe not in exactly the same way the rest of us did... but you will not fight it alone."

"I want to help him." It was almost if both minds had spoken at once, but then Violet's voice alone spoke. "I need to help him... he needs me, Annie..."

"You're going to... But we need to get you together first," the brunette stated calmly and determinedly. They talked for a few minutes about casual, fun things and then Annie got a naughty grin on her face. She had warned Miss Fontaine and Dr. Mark that this just might get crazy. "Violet... you've done so well, I think you deserve a treat..."

Violet blinked in surprise; she sure was getting surprised a lot today. "Treat? Really??"

"Yup!" In Annie's hand was Violet's favorite brand of... caramel. "Enjoy!"

Violet's jaw dropped in astonishment. "...Seriously? No catch? I can just... have it?" she asked incredulously.

"No catch," Annie smiled.

In the monitoring area, Dr. Mark looked at Fonda in alarm. "Here it comes," the nurse sighed. She remembered all too well what had happened the last time Violet had caramel.

Violet's eyes lit-up with excitement as she took the caramel, scarfing it down so quickly that it seemed to disappear in thin air. She sighed contentedly as she ate the sugary treat, swallowing the morsel down after half a minute of diligent chewing. "Mmm... nothing better than caramel..."

"Violet... do you remember our first prank together?" Annie asked, smiling and glad that Dr. Crowler was now cool with what they'd done.

Violet got a thoughtful look on her face, foot tapping the ground. "Hmm… was that the hair dye in the shampoo bottle or sneaking into his bedroom?"

"That was the hair dye... I went into his bedroom alone, remember?"

"Oh yeah! Heh heh heh... he had green hair for days!" Violet laughed, perhaps a bit more than necessary, and now both of her feet were tapping in a steady rhythm.

"Remember how we switched his shampoo?" Annie asked, smirking. "I guess we did get into his bedroom that time..."

"Yeah... that was great! What else have we done to him??" Violet questioned eagerly, bouncing slightly in her seat.

"Hmmm... I got that picture of him as Mighty Gai... But that was nothing compared to what he did on his own at the talent show..." Annie started to laugh at that. "Remember? He sang _Sweet Transvestite_ and then did _Dude Looks Like a Lady_ as an encore!"

By now, the sugar from the caramel had fully kicked in, and Violet would be running around the room like a chicken with its head cut off had she not needed to stay seated. However, that didn't stop her from bouncing up and down in her seat, hands gripping the sides tightly. Her grin seemed as if it would split her face in two at any given second, and her eye was beginning to twitch ever-so-slightly... "OH, I REMEMBER THAT!! THAT WAS HILARIOUS!!" As if to prove this, Violet gave a hysterical laugh and nearly fell out of her chair.

Annie steadied her and the medical pros gave her the signal to cool Violet down. "Good times... Now... Is there something you'd like to do later to relax?"

"Relax??" Violet made a very dramatic expression of being deep in thought. "Uhm, I don't know, maybe... uh... OH!! I wanna be with Bastion-baby, Annie!!!" she shouted in a chipper tone.

Annie smiled and handed her friend a glass of whole milk. "Here, drink this down. This'll help."

"Help? Help with what?" Violet asked, drinking half of the glass in one mega gulp.

"Calm you down... you ate caramel and you need to be calm when you see Bastion, right?" Annie reminded her.

"Oh yeah! I forgot," Violet answered before finishing off the glass. She had the cliché milk mustache, and already seemed to be slowing down thanks to the milk.

They talked for a few minutes more, and then Miss Fontaine came back to them. "Okay, Violet, you did well... let's get these off of you." She moved to get the electrodes off. "That wasn't bad, now was it?"

Violet shook her head. "No... Not too bad. Was there... anything bad on the scans?"

Miss Fontaine and Dr. Mark looked at each other and then at Violet. "Violet, we're going to look at all of the scans for about an hour and then we can tell you, okay?" Mark answered slowly.

Violet frowned and fidgeted a little in response, eyes turning downcast. "Oh... o-okay," she muttered, obviously nervous and worried.

"It's going to be okay, Violet," Annie soothed as the nurse and doctor headed into Miss Fontaine's office to examine all the scans. "Let's go back with the gang, all right?"

Violet sighed. "All right... do you… do you think Bastion's awake yet?" she asked hopefully. The confused teenager ached to see her beloved, no matter how ill either of them currently happened to be, both mentally AND physically.

"I don't know... he might be," Annie answered. The two girls got up from their chairs and the would-be doctor embraced her friend.

Violet tangibly hesitated, though not because she was again confused about her friendship with Annie. The confusion and befuddlement of her own emotions took up most of her concentration, but at last she managed to hug back. Usually, Violet would feel friendly love and happiness from the action, but right now her feelings were too jumbled up for one or two to stick out so easily.

Annie sensed the hesitation. "Violet... I know you're not sure right now about where you stand with me... But no matter what... I'll stay by you and see you through this..."

Violet bit her lip, feeling a little guilty for her hesitation, but nodded. "I… I know you will, Annie..."

"It's okay," the other girl answered tenderly. "Shall we go back to see if Bastion's awake?"

"Yeah. And... even if he's not, I want to see him," the shorter girl responded, the ache to do so standing out sharply in her voice.

"Okay..." Together, they walked back to Bastion's room and everyone looked up.

"Hey, guys," Jaden greeted softly. Bastion was still asleep, but his color looked better and he was no longer sweaty. "I think the sleep's helping him," the Slifer murmured.

Violet went to his bedside, not bothering to sit down and instead opting to stand. She reached down to take his large hand into her two thinner ones, surprised by how warm it was compared to her own. Was she really that cold? She hadn't even noticed. With her mind the way it was, Violet realized that she didn't notice a lot recently. For instance, she didn't even notice that she was currently spacing out just thinking about said topic.

Something in her touch caused Bastion to stir. "Mmmmm," he groaned softly, not opening his eyes. "What?"

Violet blinked in surprise, coming back to reality as her green eyes moved down to lock onto her love. "Bastion?"

At the sound of her voice, the Ra genius struggled to open his gray eyes. "V-Violet?" he asked. "You're here," he murmured weakly but happily.

She managed a smile, some of her better emotions finally fluttering into feeling as her eyes met his. "Y-Yeah, I am... how are you feeling, Bastion?" she asked softly.

He managed a weak smile, but that expression showed just how much she was the center of his universe. The fact that she was there was everything to him. "Better since you're here... Did you have fun in the hot springs?" He had slept soundly through the commotion of her missing, the attempt on Annie's life and the subsequent search for Violet/Mary.

Her own weak smile faltered, eyes filling with a mixture of emotion again. The loving feelings were smothered beneath the blanket of the rest, and she nearly dropped his hand. "I... I-I... uh..." Her brain wasn't working. Her mouth wasn't working. What was she supposed to say?

Bastion might be sick, but he wasn't unaware. He could see the combination of shame, pain and terror in his love's bright green eyes and knew immediately something was very wrong. And then he caught sight of his surrogate sister's cheek. "Annie... Violet? What's happened? Why does Annie have stitches on her cheek?"

Annie put a hand gently on Violet's shoulder. "Bastion... calm down, okay?"

"But..."

"Just calm down... Violet needs you to be calm," the dark-haired young woman murmured again, seeing how the couple was being affected.

Violet was breaking down again; she could feel it in both her mind and her body. She didn't want to break down; Bastion needed her to remain whole and stable for him right now. But it was happening, and she couldn't stop it. "Bastion... I'm sorry," Violet whispered, mood plummeting from Mt. Content into the Pit of Despair.

"Violet..." He struggled to sit up again and the guys helped him into a sitting position so he could beckon her to pull her into a hug.

Violet's first thought was to practically fall onto him, be buried in his embrace and forget all that was happening, even just for a few seconds. But then she managed to think better of it, remembering his frail physical state. Instead, she leaned down, gratefully accepting the hug and trying to be as gentle as her mind would allow.

He held her gently. "Darling... why are you sorry?"

She slumped a little in his arms. "Bastion... I... I've done something... terrible..."

"What did you do?" he asked softly, as the others in the room seemed to disappear. For a few long, agonizing moments, she couldn't speak. Then, the words started spilling out of her mouth, even though just a few minutes ago she couldn't put two words together. However, after the first few sentences of explanation, her voice jarred to a halt as she stammered. Bastion held her as tightly as he could. "This... you couldn't have hurt Annie... Is that what you said? You hurt Annie?" he asked, trying to make sense of it.

Violet could only nod, body shaking like a leaf in his weak hands. Tears had formed around her eyes, again, and she furiously wiped them away. Slight anger was boiling within her at her broken mind, but she suppressed it so as not to flip again.

The young man looked up at his surrogate sister and the mark on her cheek. "Annie?"

The girl took a deep breath. "It wasn't her, not really..." And as gently as she could, she repeated the events that had occurred. "...So Mary's nicer now.... She won't hurt us again..."

Violet had wound up dozing off in her lover's arms, head using his shoulder for a pillow. Mary appeared on the edge of the bed, clearly visible to the sick Ra. "I won't hurt you again. At least not on purpose."

Bastion flushed a little. "Err... that's a relief?" he managed.

"Bastion, she means it," Annie stated gently, checking Violet's vitals too. "Violet's been through a lot... It may be that she's had a return to the depression..."

The young man looked stunned and then pained. "This is my fault..."

Mary's eyebrows angled downward, and she jabbed a ghostly finger into Bastion's pale face. "Now don't start that up again! This is _**not**_ your fault. It has nothing to do with you. So don't think that way. Violet's mind is as crazy as a Van Gogh painting right now; but even in that state she hasn't even considered blaming you or anyone else but herself! Unfortunately..."

Bastion sank tiredly back into his pillows. "You blamed me... and rightly... I couldn't protect her."

"Bastion," Annie groaned, frustrated, "if you weren't so sick... I'd make you watch 'Spock's Brain,' 'Shades of Grey,' 'Life Support' and 'Twisted' all in a row!" Everyone looked at her, puzzled, even her fiancé.

"Uh... Annie? What are you talking about?" Syrus questioned in confusion.

"I'd make him watch all four of the worst Star Trek episodes ever!" she clarified, giving Bastion her most frustrated look.

"Uh... how is that a threat?" Chazz wanted to know.

"I'm just as confused as you, little bro," Atticus replied, grinning sheepishly.

"Trust me, guys, it can be torture... Bad Star Trek episodes can be torture for Trek fans," Annie smiled wickedly.

"But you didn't include 'Star Trek: Nemesis,'" Bastion commented tiredly.

"No... That would really be torture," Annie answered.

"Uh...Translation, Private Annie?" Tyson asked.

"It was a bad movie," she stated, sweat-dropping and reminded for the hundredth time that most of the gang didn't have the Star Trek saga memorized.

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Eventually, the group moved to other discussion topics as Bastion drifted back to sleep with Violet in his arms. "...So anyway, I went screaming down the mountain, just dodged a tree and went flying over a snow-covered rock!" Aster told them. "And then, I flew headfirst into a snow bank, and when I got out... I'd ripped my pants! And the world found out that Aster Phoenix wore Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon Under-roos..."

Those who were awake were staring at the Pro Duelist with goldfish-like expressions. Finally, Atticus managed a barely audible, "Wow."

"What was worse is that the paparazzi had followed me... Fortunately, my lawyers reminded them that such pictures might be considered child porn..."

"What's porn?" Jaden asked. He had his classic idiot face on, and no one could tell if he was serious or not.

Alexis slowly turned to stare at him, her own expression unreadable. "Jaden?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Please tell me you're joking."

And then his expression became very serious. "I am joking..." The group gave a collective sigh of relief. "Or am I?" he asked, smirking.

"Jaden... knock it off," Axel stated. Somehow, the African-American looked less than tolerant of Jaden's antics.

Jim sighed. "He has a point, mate. Another time..."

"Man, I would've liked to see those photographers' faces... I'll bet they were freaked out!"

"Well, yeah," Aster said, grinning. "Needless to say, that didn't end up on a single blog, tabloid site or anything."

"Good for you. If I remember right, Zane's boxers were all over the school website and blogs," Atty replied, snickering and referring to when he and Yusuke had run the stoic teen's underwear up the flagpole.

Yusuke was laughing softly at this. "Yup... I put 'em up!"

"Zane's gonna kill him," Annie muttered.

"Hey, if he didn't kill us then, I doubt he'll do it now," the brunette Obelisk young man countered the girl.

"Yeah, but that was just before I went missing and you did," the chlorinated blonde pointed out.

"...He won't kill us if we don't mention it," Atticus amended.

Yusuke sweat-dropped. "Sy, he hasn't changed that much... has he?"

Syrus rubbed the back of his neck. "Um... that depends on what you think hasn't changed."

"That he won't kill us?"

The bluenette blinked. "Uh... maybe?"

"Aw, crap," Yusuke groaned, dreading the inevitable reunion between him and his other friend. But then he had no more time to wonder.

"Kids?" Miss Fontaine called.

Everyone looked up. "Miss Fontaine?" Annie called back.

The red-headed nurse poked her head in the room and saw Violet and Bastion cuddled close. "Oh, I don't want to wake them... But the results are ready..."

Suddenly, Mary appeared, having disappeared a while ago when her twin and twin's fiancé were both sleeping. She reached out and gave the dozing Violet a ghostly shake. "Violet! Wake up! The results are in."

Violet mumbled something incomprehensible, and then her eyes fluttered open. "Huh? What?"

Miss Fontaine stepped all the way into the room and over to the awakened patient. "Hey, Violet... honey, your results are ready..."

At that, Violet was soon wide awake, and she slipped out of the bed without a second thought. "Can I see them? Is it bad? It's bad, isn't it?!" She was unconsciously working herself into a panic again.

"Calm down... do you want me to give you the results here or in another room?"

Violet faltered at that, and began fidgeting again. That was becoming a bad habit. "Um..." Being told in private sounded nice, but then she'd have to try and repeat it to the others. Depending on what the results were, being told in front of everyone could be worse.

"Violet... it's okay... we'll be here," Blair murmured reassuringly.

"Yeah... the sisterhood looks out for each other," Mindy added while Jasmine nodded agreement.

"Whatever you decide, we're here," Tyson asserted gently, looking at his dorm brother, sleeping.

Violet appreciated the continuous voiced support from her friends, even though she already knew she'd had their support from the beginning. Her mind needed that little reminder, that extra push to make it decisive again. "I... I want to hear it in another room first," she said at last.

"Okay... do you want someone with you?" the nurse asked.

The teenager considered this, but shook her head, deciding against it relatively quickly. "No... just me."

"Okay..." Without another word, Fonda helped the young woman out of the room.

Annie wanted desperately to run after her, but knew she had to stay. "Violet," she murmured.

Violet felt more than heard her surrogate sister say her name, but her decision was made. 'I'm sorry, Annie... I need to hear this for myself first,' she thought, frowning.

And the nurse and patient headed down to the nurse's office area. Fonda sat her down in a chair and Dr. Mark set the various scans up on the wall. "Hello again, Violet," he smiled at her.

She managed another nervous smile, eyes staring at the scans as if she could understand them before being told. "H-Hi..."

"Well, we've had a look at the scans and readouts... do you want the good news first?" he asked.

For once, she decided to just go with it. "Yeah."

"Well, the good news is that you don't have a brain tumor. You seem in pretty good health, actually, considering how much you've been through," he explained. "You've got a good heart rate, and your blood tests came back good."

She let out a heavy sigh of relief, feeling an immense weight of worry lift from her mind and shoulders. She wasn't going to die; she was very far from the event, in fact. But then Violet remembered that there would be bad news. "What... what's the bad news?" she stammered.

"Well, Violet... I don't know if we can totally count it as bad news because we know what we aren't dealing with and what we are now," Mark Haninozuka smiled gently. He beckoned to her to stand up and come to see the scans of her brain. There was one film with four different images of her brain. Where there might be a solid image of grey, there was a grey image lit up with different bright lighted sections. "See all of these bright spots, Violet?" he asked.

Violet blinked a few times, surprised. "Yeah... what are they?"

"This shows how your brain is working. These bright areas show where your brain is most active." And Dr. Mark explained how chemicals called neurotransmitters worked and then explained how Violet's brain worked. "These bright parts of your brain are extra active compared to other people's brains."

"Why? Is that bad?" Violet asked, wondering how her brain being a little more active could lead to all this.

"Well, the thing is, it might not have caused you any trouble... But then you had some very stressful things happen to you. I've read your file and you dealt with people rejecting you, an ex-boyfriend hitting you and later trying to kill you, and then the kidnapping at the end of last summer. And then you had this thing with Darkness. These triggered your symptoms."

Okay, she understood all of that. "Symptoms?" Violet wondered if he meant the way she was acting.

"Yeah, your mood swings, your over-activity and depression... these all indicate that you have something called bipolar disorder," Dr. Mark explained.

Violet paled slightly. "Then... then I am bipolar?"

"It really looks like you are, kiddo... But we can work on making you feel better," he soothed.

But Violet hadn't heard him. Her eyes were wide and she was starting shake, as her newfound disorder struck up its role and sent her sprawling into panic mode. "Oh no... oh no... no, no, no!" she muttered frantically. All words her friends had spoken to her vanished from her mind as she reached up to clutch at her head. She was bipolar. Depression was one thing; it was simple. Bipolar was different. Bipolar was worse... it was a disorder. She had a full-blown disorder! How long had she had it? Months? Years? Her entire life?? The questions and thoughts swirled around her head enough to make her dizzy, and she felt her knees start to buckle under her weight. When had it become so hard to breathe?

"Violet!" the two medical professionals shouted, catching the girl quickly as she lost consciousness.

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It was a few minutes later when Violet heard a familiar voice calling out to her. "Violet? Violet... it's Annie... It's going to be okay..."

Violet groaned, not wanting to leave the calm, simple blackness she had been surrounded by moments before. She didn't want to have to deal with her jumbled mind and weak body, only weak because of her messed-up head. But now she was up, and her mind was rebooting itself as she opened her eyes. "Unn...."

Annie squeezed her best friend's hand. "It's okay... you just fainted..."

Violet groaned again, remembering exactly why she'd done so. "Annie... I... I'm..."

"It's okay... you panicked a little... it happens... It's all right... Just take some time to pull yourself together."

"But I can't," the purple-headed girl croaked, voice a weak whisper.

"Just take some deep breaths... You're going to be okay," Annie soothed again.

"H-How?" Violet asked shakily.

"Dr. Haninozuka is looking at your history and he's going to get some meds for you," she answered softly.

This elicited another groan from the green-eyed teen. "Not again..."

"This time, they should work better," Annie murmured. "Can I do something to help you relax?"

Violet remembered the soothing blackness of unconsciousness. "I want to sleep..."

"Okay... Would you like me to sing something?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"Anything in particular?" the dark-haired girl asked. When Violet didn't answer, Annie asked, "Would you like me to sing 'You Know Better than I?'" Violet, just needing something to lull her back into carefree slumber, nodded. And so Annie sang a song from the movie, "Joseph: King of Dreams," which both she and Violet loved. It was a song about having faith and waiting patiently for answers. She sang the whole song through, and when it was over, Annie looked down upon her best friend. Tears came to her eyes as she silently pleaded for divine help in the form Violet needed.

Then, soft steps were heard entering the room, and a short figure kneeled beside Annie. "Annie...?" It was Syrus, knowing somehow that his beloved needed him.

"Hey, honey..." And then her voice failed her as the tears kept running.

Syrus, seeing her tearful expression, wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to him. "It's okay, Annie... everything's going to be all right..."

"Sh-she's so upset... She'll... she'll be okay... but.... oooh..."

He pulled her a little closer, his grip secure around her as he frowned in concern. "She will be okay, Annie... Especially with you there to help her… with all of us there..."

She pushed into him a bit, gaining strength from his embrace. "Just hold me for a minute... Honey... it's all getting to me..."

He did so. "I know it is, Annie... you need to rest too..."

"I will when she's able to tell everybody," she answered, getting control of herself.

_And so Violet has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and is understandably scared. What will happen when she wakes up? Next time, please join us for "Dealing." Until then, please read, review and stay tuned. Thank you very much!_


	43. Dealing

Chapter XLIII: Dealing

_Hi, again, dear readers. Again… it's Peach's fault. Her life has been crazy lately and she knows one thing for sure. Accounting is not her thing… Long story. Anyway, it's her fault when this stuff gets delayed. Anyhow, last time, Violet found out that she had bipolar disorder. That meant she would have some difficulties ahead. So what will happen next? Stay tuned._

_**Usual boring disclaimer: We already said it. We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise.**_

___Humor warning: Ani and Peach advise you to please be cautious when reading this chapter. Make sure you are seated securely as you may laugh uncontrollably at some points. Not being seated securely may result in falling out of your seat and becoming injured. We are not responsible for any injuries you may experience while reading this chapter. Also, be careful when drinking while reading this story. Thank you._

_Authors' serious note: The pill that is featured in this chapter is, as far as we know, not in development. We can only hope that someday, such a drug will exist so that people who have bipolar disorder will be able to live without debilitating symptoms. To those of you who have it, we hope that one day, there will be a cure._

It was another hour before Violet woke up again. "Hey, Violet... Here's some juice," Annie said brightly when the other girl sat up.

"Oh... juice?" Violet asked groggily, rubbing at her eyes with a pale hand.

"Yeah... I thought your mouth might be a little bit dry..."

"I mean, what kind of juice?"

"Some apple juice," Annie answered, holding out a juice box with a straw.

Violet took the box gladly, drinking down the only juice she could stand. She sighed after her long sip, smiling a little. "Thanks, Annie." Her smile faltered a bit as she looked down. "I... I'm sorry I've been making you worry so much over me..."

"It's all right," Annie soothed softly. "You're my best friend and that means I'm here at your side..."

"Yeah, but..." Violet met her eyes. "You're getting more worn out than I am... and that's not good."

Annie knew the past few days were draining her reserves, but she also knew she had to stay strong. "Violet... I'm going to be okay... Let's worry about you and Bastion and everybody else... We need to get you through the first part of this... You'll get on meds again and then you'll feel better..."

Violet frowned, gaze moving downward once more. "I know I will, Annie, but..." She sighed, remembering that little bottle that had practically structured her life for over half a year. And this time it would play an even bigger role in her everyday life. 'Bipolar disorder... I never thought... it's just so sudden... The depression was obvious, but this... how,' she thought, unconsciously squeezing the juice box in her hands.

Unfortunately, as anyone with experience drinking a juice box would know, squeezing said box when it is over half full is unwise and Violet's box was three-quarters of the way full. The juice flew up through the straw and out in a gush, hitting Annie in the face. Violet gasped, clumsily setting the juice box aside, though she nearly dropped it in the process. "Oh, darn it, Annie! I'm sorry!!" she yelped, grabbing a wad of tissues from a box beside her bed and dabbing at her best friend's apple juice-covered face. Annie licked her lips, blinking. And then, she started laughing.

Violet blinked back, but for a different reason. Confusion was obvious on her face. "Um... Annie?"

"I got sprayed with apple juice!" Annie squealed. "It's funny! It's like getting hit with a whipped cream pie!"

Violet blinked again, and then managed a weak laugh. "I... I guess it is pretty funny..."

The dark-haired giggling girl calmed down and gladly took the tissues from her friend. "Violet, it's okay... Don't worry about it and I'll get you another juice, okay?"

"Okay. Sorry, again... I wasn't paying attention..."

Annie sighed, finished wiping her face and placed her hands on her best friend's shoulders. "Violet... it's really okay... Please don't be upset..."

"I'm not," Violet muttered, glancing away. "I just can't concentrate..."

"It's okay... just relax... I'll get you that juice, okay?"

"Okay..."

Annie got up and got another box of juice for Violet. "Here we are..."

"Thanks, Annie," the purple-haired teen murmured as she sipped the juice again.

"Just relax..." Annie knew Violet needed to be calm to get her thoughts together. And she called up the image of something that calmed her. "Hey, Violet? Do you remember our first year, and that night we went out at midnight, away from the dorms, just to see the stars?"

Violet looked up at her friend in surprise, but nodded as she stopped drinking. "Yeah... I remember that."

"Do you remember how we just stretched out on the grass and looked up?" Annie kept her voice calm and quiet. "Do you remember how you felt?"

Violet's expression became thoughtful, eyes getting a glaze look as she thought back to that moment in time. Between two horrors, she now realized with some bemusement. After her own and before the horror that would nearly consume Duel Academy Island and the world. She and her friends were at peace, they had fun, the most they had to worry about was homework and dueling. "I felt... peaceful... calm... content..."

"Okay... think about that feeling... Focus on it... Let it take over you..."

"I'm trying, Annie..."

Annie's voice remained in that low warm tone. "Lie down and close your eyes..." She murmured, "Focus on that feeling... Picture us out on the hill... at midnight... looking out at all those stars..."

Violet sighed as she did as she was told, closing her eyes and trying to picture what she'd seen that night over two years ago. Two years... had it only been that long? It felt like decades had gone by. But she was losing focus again. "It's hard," she groaned.

Annie held her hand as she had on that night. "I'm right here... just like I was before..."

Violet tried hard to concentrate, knowing that Annie was trying just as hard to help her. Slowly, she could picture the pinpricks of lights in the darkness of her closed lids, forming stars and constellations before her very eyes. She could feel the cool grass again and hear the night sounds of crickets and owls. "I... I see it, Annie..."

"Remember those shooting stars that we saw?"

"Yeah..."

"What did you wish for?"

"I... I wished that my new friends wouldn't leave me..."

Annie squeezed her hand again. "Your wish came true..." She remembered her wish. "And... I wished the same thing..."

Violet opened her eyes in surprise, the vision disappearing in a flash. "You... you did?"

Annie nodded. "Yeah, I did... I couldn't believe I actually had real friends... I kept wondering when you guys would ditch me..."

Violet frowned and looked away. "Me too..."

"But then... you didn't ditch me..."

"And... you didn't ditch me..."

Annie smiled, remembering exactly what had happened on that night. "Do you remember that night and what happened after we made our wishes?"

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It had been a cool night in October 2016 when Violet and Annie had gone stargazing. And now they were heading back to the dorms. "We had permission to do this, but still... Dr. Crowler might be looking for an excuse to nail us!" the dark-haired girl groaned, hating to jog.

Violet, used to running around, barely took notice of the pace as she sighed. "Sometimes I just wanna pull out my bazooka on him."

"Well, we did dye his hair a couple of weeks ago... He deserved that after what he did to Chazz," Annie growled, feeling a bit tired already.

"If he bothers us tonight, we'll think up something else to do to him, that's all," Violet reassured, grinning maniacally.

"Yeah... I've got something planned," Annie puffed, also smiling.

"Oh? Do tell," Violet replied eagerly.

"I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you..."

"....Ah, you wouldn't. I know you. You're not like those roc-" As if on cue, Violet's heel caught on a stone in the path and she did a flying belly-flop into the dirt. "Ergh..."

Annie stopped jogging and knelt quickly. "Violet! Are you okay?!" She was used to her friend making face plants by now, but still worried.

Violet yanked her face out of the dirt, shaking most of the stuff off with ease. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit bruised; nothing I'm not used to," she answered, sitting up.

Annie checked her over carefully. "You still took a bit of a fall... Let me help you up..." She got a grip on her friend and then the world started to spin.

Violet felt her friend yank on her arm, and looked over to see her body tilting back. "Annie!!"

Annie managed to stay sitting, placing her palms behind her. 'No... can't faint...' she told herself sternly, steadying her body with her hands, eyes closed. "Just... just give me a second..." Violet frowned, but nodded, placing a strong, steady hand on Annie's shoulder. She began wiping the remaining dirt from her face, body, and clothes with the other.

And then there was the sound of a few pairs of feet hitting the dirt. "Violet? Is everything all right?" Bastion Misawa's clipped British voice floated through the air as he, Syrus, Chumley and Jaden came up to them.

Violet, having been totally off-guard in the surrounding darkness, shrieked at the sudden footsteps and voice. Before it could register in her brain just _who_ it was that spoke, she'd grabbed the rock that had tripped her and thrown it in the voice's general direction.

Fortunately, Violet didn't hit the owner of the voice. However, she hit Chumley in his gut. "Whoa! Hold your fire!" Jaden shouted as they came into view.

Violet blinked a few times, then put on a sheepish grin. "Ooooh, it's just you guys. Don't scare me like that! Sheesh!" she scolded.

"Sorry about that! We were all just out for a walk!" Jaden explained, and taking notice of the situation, asked, "Is everything all right?!"

"Aside from the rocks plotting against me again and Annie nearly passing out from us rushing? Yeah," Violet answered matter-of-factly.

Syrus's eyes widened. "Annie?"

"I'm...I'm all right," Annie panted, feeling the world become more stable. "Just... guess my system doesn't like me jogging..."

Jaden and Bastion exchanged glances. "Perhaps one of us should carry you?" the taller boy suggested.

"I second that motion!" Violet stated, standing and pointing a finger into the air dramatically.

"It might be a good idea, Annie... if you're that tired," Syrus agreed quietly, worried for his crush.

"Oh... Okay," she groaned softly.

Bastion, without another word, lifted the tired girl, taking silent note of how pale she was. "So... what were you two doing out here?" he asked Violet casually as they began to walk.

"Stargazing. We even saw some shooting stars!" the Obelisk girl answered in a chipper tone.

"Wish we'd known. We'd have joined you! Chumley made his mom's recipe for hot chocolate!" Jaden said eagerly.

"Yeah, my mom's recipe is totally 'licious!" Chumley answered, his tone of voice reflecting the influence his younger roommates were already having on him. "I have some extra if you guys want it when we get back to the dorms..."

Violet's eyes lit up as she grinned. "Homemade hot chocolate?! YEAH!" she cheered excitedly.

"Okay," the big boy who looked like a koala answered.

Annie relaxed in Bastion's strong arms, content. "So what happened to you?" he asked her. Bastion had unconsciously adopted Annie as a surrogate sister in the time since they'd started school and gotten to know each other. Consequently, he worried about her, especially with the weak and dizzy spells she occasionally had.

"Umm... I guess I just got tired," she stated, feeling worn out.

"Did you have dinner?"

"Yes, Mommy," she answered like an annoyed little sister.

Violet did a very bad job of concealing her giggles and snickers at that comment, and Syrus sweat-dropped. "Maybe you didn't eat enough?" he offered.

"Maybe I didn't," Annie allowed, hating that this had happened again. She didn't like having her new friends worried and wondered if they'd eventually call her a weak weirdo as the kids had done at her old private school.

"Well, let's get something at Slifer! I'll bet Professor Banner still has the cafeteria open!" Jaden offered.

"And we are a lot closer than Obelisk," Chumley added, not wanting to have to go all the way there yet, especially when said Obelisks had been mean to him.

"Fine by me. Less chance of running into that mean old Crowler too," Violet agreed casually, folding her arms behind her head.

Syrus grimaced. "She's right..."

They arrived at Slifer in a couple of minutes and Chumley got out the rest of his hot chocolate for the two girls. Jaden ran to get Professor Banner and soon the small group was snacking. "Thanks, Chumley, thanks, Professor," the tired girl said softly, leaning against the wall.

"You're quite welcome, Miss Hanson. Try to eat something; you look a little pale. Perhaps you girls can stay here for the night, since it is rather late and you both seem exhausted," the teacher replied kindly. He wore the same mysterious smile that he almost always did, spectacles shimmering in the dim cafeteria lighting.

Annie looked over at Violet. "Is that okay with you?"

Violet shrugged, having guzzled down her entire mug of cocoa at once and now pleasantly subdued. "Fine by me. It's a long walk back, anyway."

"Okay... Uh... should we call up there and get our pajamas?"

"Uh, we have some extra pairs, if you're okay with that," Jaden offered. Sure, they were girls, but maybe guys' pajamas would fit them, he reasoned.

The two girls exchanged glances. "Well, Annie... what do you say about it?" Violet asked her brunette friend.

"I'm okay with it," Annie answered, flushing slightly. She wondered just whose pajamas she'd fit in comfortably... 'Chumley or Bastion... I'm so fat,' she thought, again frustrated with the curves she'd been given. She truly wasn't fat, but she did have curves

Violet grinned. "Then I don't mind, either! Thanks guys!" She, too, wondered whose pajamas would fit her. 'Syrus is way too small. Jaden would be a bit tight. Chumley's way too big. Bastion... well, his would be a little big, but comfy,' she thought, blushing at the image of wearing his pajamas.

Bastion, on this night, had fortunately brought a few sets of pajamas with him. "I brought a couple of extra pairs with me... Since we've all been studying for mid-terms and Jaden... well... is Jaden... I figured it was best if I stayed down here..."

Jaden looked up at Bastion, pushing his index fingers together, managing to look contrite and frustrated at the same time. "Um... I'm sorry..."

"Jaden... you just need extra attention," Bastion stated calmly.

Violet snickered. "He needs to pay attention," she amended teasingly.

Syrus grinned sheepishly at that. "That might help..."

Jaden flushed slightly, grinning sheepishly. Fortunately there was an open room next to the boys' room and they were able to quickly give the girls pajamas. Annie took one look at Sy's and groaned. "No way..."

Violet shook her head in agreement. "Maybe when I was nine, yeah. Now I'd end up ripping them."

"I'd look like a hooker with his top on," Annie groaned. Jaden's wasn't any better. "He's taller... but my butt is way too big!"

"I'm taller than he is and, well... curvier! I'm not a pole," Violet asserted with a nod.

Annie took one of Bastion's sets, this set with math symbols on the bottoms and a solid black t-shirt. "Hey, this fits." His bottoms were a bit long for her, so she folded them up repeatedly and she cinched the drawstring tightly.

Violet slipped on another one of Bastion's sets, this set with little chemistry tubes on the bottoms and a white t-shirt with the classic Einstein equation printed on the front in black. "It's a bit big on me, but it's better than the rest." She let the longer bottoms hang over her feet, not bothered by it in the least. Being less broad in the shoulders, one sleeve kept dipping down to reveal the pale skin underneath.

"It's big on me, too," Annie blushed. The collar on Bastion's t-shirt revealed some of her cleavage and she hoped it wasn't too revealing. She was also glad tonight was Friday night and tomorrow there were no classes.

And then there was a knock at the door. "Are you guys decent?" Jaden called through the door.

Both girls blushed at the question. "Yeah, we're dressed! I'm surprised he remembered to ask," Violet said, muttering the last bit.

Annie smiled. "He may be unaware at times, but he's still a gentleman..." They opened the door and the guys were standing and waiting. "Thanks, guys for sharing with us," she said, handing Chumley and Sy back their pajamas.

"Yeah. Bastion's fit the best, though," Violet added, handing Jaden back his pajamas. Syrus, however, was blushing a nice shade of red as he unconsciously accepted the clothes. Annie, in the over-sized pajamas, looked very cute. The fact that her rather ample cleavage was showing more added to the attraction he already felt to her, and the two combined made him unable to speak. His mouth opened and closed repeatedly like a fish.

Bastion too was flushing a light shade of pink. Violet looked absolutely darling in his (_SHE'S WEARING MY PAJAMAS!!!_) night clothes, and with her shoulder showing... Well, the Ra genius had to admit to himself, his dreams might be less than gentlemanly about her.

Violet tilted her head to the side, unknowingly making the situation worse for her secret crush. "Bastion? Do you feel okay? Your face is pretty red. I hope you're not getting sick." Yes, she knew the possibility that he could be blushing, but considering that possibility would be far too embarrassing.

If this were an anime, poor Bastion would've had a major nosebleed. "I... guess I'm warm out here," he answered shakily.

"But Bastion, weren't you just complaining that it was freezing out here?" Jaden asked in his standard clueless fashion.

The resulting face-plant of said genius made Violet laugh, while Jaden could only look on in confusion. Syrus, meanwhile, finally managed to find his voice as he swallowed thickly. "Y-You're welcome, Annie..."

The girls gave Jaden his pajamas back and he asked, "Uh... did I say something bad?"

Violet shrugged. "Didn't sound like it. But keep an eye on Bastion and Sy for us. They're actin' weeeiiird," she whispered.

"Y-yeah," Annie muttered, having a guess as to what the blushes meant.

"You two will need extra blankets," Bastion realized, heading for the dorm linen closet, wanting to get out of there.

"Ah, um, I'll come help, Bastion!" Syrus called, running after the taller boy.

Violet sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Boys... they're so strange sometimes," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Y-yeah," Annie answered, wondering if the small Slifer did like her. 'But why would he? We're just friends,' she thought. The two boys returned quickly with the blankets and a couple of pillows and the two girls got settled in the dorm. "This isn't so bad," Annie said as they climbed into bed. And then... "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" she screeched in absolute terror.

Violet leaned over from her spot in the second-highest bunk to look down at Annie's in shock. "Annie, what-AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!! OH MY GOD!!! KILL IT!!! GETITGETITGETIT!!!"

The thing in question was a cockroach and it had landed on Annie's head. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!!!" She was in freak out mode and there was no doubt that the entire dorm could hear the screaming. "JESUS JESUS JESUS!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, yelling for divine intervention, much as her mother would.

Violet leapt from her bed and grabbed a nearby broom, the room having been used as a makeshift closet since it had been vacant. "I'LL GET IT!!" She swung the broom, but Annie was now running around the room and Violet kept missing. "ANNIE, HOLD STI-" Violet froze, voice dying out as she held out the broom. After another supposedly failed swipe with it, she had discovered something dreadful. The cockroach was now on the end of the broom, grotesque antennae quivering at her. Violet, eyes wide, took a few deep breaths, and then... "AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!" Seconds later, the door flew open and the guys rushed into the room.

Bastion of course ran straight to Violet. "Violet? Can I help?"

Violet, now in her own panic mode, continued screaming as she waved the broom around. Bastion was only another object she could use to help get the disgusting insect as far away from her as possible. "DIE!! DIE!! DIEDIEDIEDIEDIIIIIE!!!!" Violet shouted, repeatedly beating the broom against her crush. It was only the straw-covered part, but the hits were nowhere close to being gentle. And the little bugger _**wouldn't let go**_.

It unfortunately landed on Bastion's head. "Violet! STOP HITTING ME AND I'll GET IT!" he shouted finally as she kept clocking him with the broom.

However, Violet had already stopped her screaming and beating, and was now staring fearfully at the spot just above her crush's head. "Bastion," she said slowly, quietly.

Bastion could feel it crawling on him. "Yes, Violet, m'dear?"

Normally, Violet would have blushed at what he called her and been embarrassed. However, right now she only had one goal in mind: GET. THAT. BUG. "Don't. Move.... I'LL GET IT!!! ARGH!!" She yelled, giving a war cry and bashing Bastion on the head once, twice, again and again. Perhaps a reason contributing to this was the fact that her eyes were closed in fear. "DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!!"

Bastion finally grabbed and took the broom from her. "Violet... these things would survive a nuclear holocaust," he said calmly.

That, perhaps, wasn't the best choice of words. As if the statement had given her a brilliant idea, Violet ran over to her pile of belongings and pulled out a new terror from her purse. "If it wants something nuclear, then it can have a taste of this!!" she yelled. Violet held a pink potato gun in her hands, having just recently finished the weapon. She supposed now was as good a time as any to test it out as she took aim just above Bastion's head.

Bastion's eyes went wide and he ducked. "Violet, that's not a good idea!" Annie shouted as the other boys took cover.

"Too late! This bug is gonna _**EAT VEGGIE**_!" Violet shouted back, pulling the trigger. A large potato flew out of the gun's barrel, flying through the air to smack squarely into the cockroach.

However, just then Professor Banner appeared in the doorway, dressed in his pajamas. "Is everything all right? I heard screaming and-OOF!!" The potato wound up hitting him right in the gut, sending him sprawling onto his back. It then rolled off the balcony, taking the troublesome insect with it.

The occupants of the Slifer Red room stood stunned for a long moment, sweat-dropping. Meanwhile, a very dazed cockroach staggered off the potato and out into the night, thankful that the human had merely blasted him clear. Back up on the deck, Annie and Jaden moved over to the sprawled instructor. "Professor Banner, are you all right?!" Jaden asked as the Obelisk girl assessed the damage.

Had this been an anime, the teacher's normally closed eyes would have been swirls. He was indeed- "K.O.!!" Violet shouted before she could stop herself. Upon receiving a look from the others, she grinned sheepishly. "Uh, I mean... sorry, professor! My bad!"

"Oooh... was that a... cockroach riding a flying potato... or do I just need new glasses?" Banner groaned, said glasses slightly askew from his fall.

"The second one, Professor," Jaden answered as Annie completed her check.

"Violet," she scolded gently, "I think that was overkill..."

Violet pouted, flailing slightly. "Hey, it's gone, isn't it?! Besides, you started it."

"It landed on me first!"

"Oh, you were the one going gonzo first," Chumley realized. "Why were you screaming to Jesus?"

"I was freaked out... I get that from my mom," Annie admitted, blushing. The guys all looked at her as they helped Professor Banner to his feet.

"I didn't know you could scream that loud, Annie," Bastion stated.

"Uh... heh..." The Obelisk girl blushed deeper, clearly embarrassed.

"Oy! ANY girl can scream that loud, and then some, if they get freaked. I would've been louder if it'd been a spider or something... actually, I'd probably be halfway across the island by now," Violet muttered thoughtfully.

Professor Banner sighed as he straightened his glasses, regaining his bearings after the surprise potato/cockroach attack. "Well... is everything all right now? No one's hurt?"

Everyone looked around and checked themselves over. "I don't think so, Professor. Bastion?" He chuckled. "No... My great-aunt Mattie did the same thing... or tried... with a broom, but her broom was much harder..."

Violet flushed. "I was... caught up in the moment, heh..."

Bastion didn't dare say what he was actually thinking in regard to the purple-haired young woman. But he instead grinned and said, "Violet, my dear, this is why you're such a wonderful friend. You're a free spirit and a fighter!"

"Even though when I'm a fighter I sometimes beat you with a broom?" Violet inquired, sweat-dropping.

"Yes, even then! And you were trying to help me, after all," he reminded her. Something in the genius's bearing made Annie suspicious, but tonight, she dared not say anything to her best friend about it. Tonight she watched.

To Violet and Bastion, it almost felt as if they were the only two present in the room. Had they been, Violet may have taken action with her feelings. However, they WEREN'T alone, and there was no way she'd say it now. "Right. Well, I... I think we're okay now, guys."

"Okay... Well, we're in the next room if you need us, so just scream again!" Jaden offered cheerfully.

"JADEN!!!"

The two girls were glaring at the brown-eyed Slifer, and Syrus sweat-dropped. "Uh... Jay? I think we should leave..."

"Sorry!" he grinned sheepishly, glad that Alexis wasn't there.

They said their goodbyes and Annie and Violet climbed into their beds at 1:30 in the morning. "I'm glad we can stay here," she murmured, cuddling down in her blankets.

Violet yawned, practically wrapped in her own little cocoon. "Yeah... me too... Even if there are some pest... problems..."

And then a loud meow rang through the room. The two girls looked out of their bunks and climbing on a large beam was Pharaoh the cat. He swished his big ginger-striped tan tail and bounded onto the bunks. He looked at the two girls as if to say, "Is it all right if I join you tonight, girls."

"Hello, Pharaoh," Annie smiled.

Violet grinned, poking her head out from the blankets. "Hey, Pharaoh. You can sleep with us if you want."

Pharaoh inclined his furry head and regarded the two girls, not sure who he should cuddle with. 'Hmmm... The girl that smells like those other cats would be nice... And her hand tastes like my cat treats... But the other girl is nice too,' he thought. Finally the cat jumped from the top bunk to the middle bunk, curling up at Violet's feet.

Violet grinned when Pharaoh curled up at the end of her bed, reminding her of her cat Coco back home. "Good night, Pharaoh. Night, Annie," she said, patting the cat on the head before curling up as well.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Back in the present, Annie smiled at her friend. "Remember that?"

Violet smiled back. "Yeah... I remember now."

"How are you feeling?"

"Better, I guess..."

Annie pulled her into a hug once more. "Bastion's awake... He's worried... No one but me has been told about what Dr. Mark and Miss Fontaine found out..."

Violet hugged back, meaningfully this time. "They... they need to know..."

"Okay... It's going to be okay... Right, Mary?" Annie asked Violet's counterpart. The ruddy-brown-eyed spirit had appeared and was visible to the teens.

"Hm? Oh. Yeah. If you're right about them, Annie, then it will be," Mary answered simply.

Annie nodded, and together they walked back to Bastion's room. "Violet?" he called. "Darling? What happened?"

Violet sighed and walked over to his bedside, sitting on the edge of it. She remembered that night two years ago again, how the two had secretly loved each other. "Sorry Bastion... guys... I got overwhelmed when they told me..."

Bastion struggled to get up, mentally berating how sluggish his system was, and then Jaden, Tyson and Sy moved to help him sit up. "What... what did they tell you?" he asked, holding an arm out if she needed a hug to strengthen her. 'I may have failed her... but I won't now... I can't...'

Violet hesitated a moment, then fell into the offered embrace gladly. "I... it's not cancer or anything... nothing life-threatening like that," she began quietly.

Everyone who didn't know drew a deep breath of relief. "So... what is it?" he asked, holding her close.

She drew in a nervous breath, and it seemed like forever before she let it out and spoke. "It's... Bastion, I... I'm..." Violet forced out the words, knowing it wasn't as bad as she felt it was but unable to squash the feeling. "...bipolar... I have bipolar disorder..."

Bastion held her for a long moment before he spoke. "We'll get through this, love... We'll get through it together..."

"Violet... man, we all will," Jaden asserted, a certain fire in his eyes. "You stayed with me through the PTSD coming back... We all stuck with each other through the nightmares... through Zane's intervention... We aren't gonna leave you out to dry with this..."

Violet looked up, tears shining in her bright green eyes as she looked at her friends. "Guys..." They wouldn't leave her. As their friend, she helped them, and now they were going to help her. This was the truth of real friendship.

And together, they pulled into a huge group hug around the couple. It was one of those moments where there was no doubt where anyone in the gang stood. And now they would see their friend through to her return to happiness.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

Violet slept through the night in the infirmary as Miss Fontaine and Dr. Mark looked over her previous history and the medication that had helped her. Fortunately, medication had advanced from about a decade previously and a combination drug would be just the thing to help the young woman. "Good thing we have this," the psychiatrist stated to the nurse in the early hours of the morning.

"Yeah... I think we'll see an improvement and she'll be back to her old self..."

"Yeah... she'll still be fun-loving, but the lows won't crush her, and the highs won't be as hard on her."

At about 8 AM, the two went into Bastion's room where the whole group had slept. "Violet... sweetie, wake up," Miss Fontaine murmured.

Violet let out a long yawn, body stretching slightly under the covers. Her eyes opened and she began rubbing them with a hand as she looked up at the nurse. "Miss Fontaine?"

"Sweetie... we have some medication for you to try..."

The memory of her diagnosis came flying back to Violet, and she frowned. "Oh... oh yeah... that..."

"This should help you feel better," the nurse soothed, "but let's go to my office and take it, okay?"

The teen girl sighed as she slid out of her bed. "Okay..."

Bastion stirred slightly but didn't wake, and everyone else, so worn out from the emotions of the other day, didn't either. And so the nurse walked the young woman down the hall to her office. Dr. Mark was waiting. "Well, Violet, you'll be glad to know that this medication doesn't have any bad side effects. Bipolar medication has come a long way in the past 10 years..."

"It has?" she asked, curious.

"Yeah. It used to be that we had to carefully check two medications and figure out the exact combination to give to the patient. It took a lot of guesswork and a lot of headaches. But about 7 years ago, a new drug went through the FDA and Europe that treated the symptoms of both parts of bipolar disorder. And the medication was the first of its kind in that it could be taken without causing birth defects..."

"So then... when I take this... it'll help with my disorder, but won't hurt me?"

"Or, when the time comes, your unborn baby."

Violet blushed a little. "So... what do I have to take?"

"It's called Balance, Violet," he said, pulling out a fancy-looking box of medication. "It's a combination of two drugs, an anti-depressant and an anti-manic medication." He opened the box and took a pill from it. "You'll take this twice a day, at breakfast and at dinner, and you may start feeling some effects immediately, but you'll definitely feel improvement by tomorrow."

Miss Fontaine got a glass of water, some juice and a muffin for the young woman and Dr. Mark handed her the pinkish pill. Violet held the small, round thing in her hand, looking it over as she ate her muffin. It looked like any other pill one might take, like a painkiller or cold medicine. And it was a nice color... "How... how long will I have to take it?" she finally dared to ask.

"Well, that depends on a lot," Dr. Mark answered. "You might need it for a while, and then not need it. But then you might need it for the rest of your life. The people who have been on this... Some of them have actually gone off of it and stayed off it. They may yet relapse, which is natural, or they might never need it again..."

Violet's hand closed around the pill; she could barely feel it. "How will I know if I don't need it anymore?"

"We'll make sure you're monitored and when some time has passed, we'll try easing up on the meds, all right?"

"All right..." Violet wondered if she'd feel the change, and if she did, how it would feel. When she'd finished her muffin, she looked over the pill one more time before swallowing it with some juice.

Dr. Mark and Miss Fontaine watched over her for about an hour, checking her vitals every few minutes. "Hmmm... Blood pressure normal... Temperature is normal... Violet, how are you feeling?" the nurse asked.

Violet sighed. She had, indeed, begun feeling something. It was strange; something she'd never experienced before. It felt as if someone was picking up the scattered pieces of her mind, one at a time, and carefully putting them back into place. One by one. "I... I feel... whole again."

Dr. Mark took note and smiled. "Looks like you're one of the population that this stuff takes effect pretty quickly... Let's give it a few more minutes and see how you feel. And then, we got Miss Dorothy to bring in a treat... And I must say I'm glad!"

Violet's eyes lit up with excitement. "A treat? Really?" she questioned eagerly.

"Yup. It's something I've adored since I was a kid," he answered, a blissful look coming on his face. "But we have to wait until everyone has eaten breakfast to enjoy it!"

She blinked. "Are they up?"

"I was just about to wake them," Miss Fontaine answered kindly. "Shall we go check on them?"

Violet smiled. "Sure!"

And so they stepped down the hall to check on the group. Fortunately, everyone was already awake. "Hey, Violet! We missed you!" Jaden grinned eagerly.

"Ya did?" Violet asked in mock surprise.

"Yeah! When we woke up, you weren't here! Everything okay?"

"Yeah. I just got my new meds."

Bastion looked up at her. "Violet... what are you on?" He knew what those medications could do and needed to know.

Violet had to think for a moment to remember the name. "Um... Balance? Yeah, that's it."

"Oh!" The young man's face lit up. "I've read about it and it doesn't have major side effects... Have you taken it already?"

She nodded, grinning. "Yep! Took it a little over an hour ago."

"You're feeling better!" Annie said with a slight yawn. She'd been halfway awake when her friend had come into the room and now was wide awake. She was smiling, but it was still a sleepy smile.

"I am. And you, Annie, need more rest," Violet replied seriously.

"I'm... all right," Annie said around another yawn. "But maybe I do need another nap..."

"Can we have breakfast now?" Jaden asked as his stomach grumbled.

Everyone sweat-dropped. "Did someone say breakfast?" Professor Sartyr asked cheerfully, poking his head into the room with a smile. He carried three large plastic containers in his arms.

"Hi, honey! Hey, Belowski!" Miss Fontaine greeted.

"We brought breakfast!" the small boy grinned, bearing a basket full of fresh bread, muffins and pastries that seemed too large for him to carry.

"I think you guys just saved us... Jaden and Jesse had that crazed look in their eyes," Axel said as the J twins eyed the muffin basket.

And then, Violet surprised everyone by placing her hands on her hips and getting a determined gleam in her green eyes. "Hey! The two of you had better save some for me!" She hadn't had an appetite for anything since well before she'd been taken away by Mr. T.

Jaden looked at Jesse, and Jesse looked back. "Violet... let's get our eat on!" the brunette Slifer grinned in triumph and eagerness. "Okay... muffins, croissants, biscuits... what shall our contest be played with?"

"I'm happy about this development... but they are seriously going to have tummy aches," Jasmine whispered to Atticus.

Atticus sweat-dropped. "At least we're already in the infirmary, right?" he offered sheepishly.

"Guys... let's see who can eat the most... Danishes!!" Violet answered cheerfully; there was a good amount in the basket, each a different flavor.

As the three contest eaters dove into the Danishes, Dr. Mark grinned sheepishly. "And I thought I enjoyed eating sweets... these three take it to a new level..."

"They're not just like this with sweets... it can be with any type of food they love to eat," Alexis explained with a sigh.

"Oh, my goodness.... and this is normal?"

Miss Fontaine nodded. "Yes, it is... and this is one time I'm not going to worry about them getting stomach aches." The three teens had 12 Danishes a piece and Jaden was practically in chibi mode with excitement.

Jesse was grinning, eying the filled pastries hungrily. "I'm gonna win! Ain't no one who could ever beat me at eatin' breakfast!" he stated confidently.

Violet stuck out her tongue at both boys. "You guys won't even see me coming."

"Oh, yeah? I am not only going to be the next King of Games, I'll be an eating champ!" Jaden grinned.

"Oh, how I've missed this," Bastion smiled blissfully, coughing a bit.

"If this is her after an hour... she'll be entirely back to normal before tomorrow," Syrus said thoughtfully as the trio began their contest.

Dr. Mark was smiling. "She's one of the fastest on record for this... That's a good thing..."

"That's because I'M here to help the stuff along, doc," Mary piped up as she appeared, leaning against the wall and jabbing a thumb at herself. It was the first time she had revealed herself to the psychiatrist.

Dr. Mark Haninozuka had been a very logical person until he was 17 years old. At the age of 17, he had come to Domino City from his home in Vancouver, BC to participate in the Battle City Tournament. It was there that he saw the powerful Egyptian god monsters, Rare Hunters and other odd things. He had also seen the final duel between Yugi Muto and Marik Ishtar. The result of that had been that he didn't disbelieve if someone said they had a spirit to talk to. Even so, however, seeing the red-eyed counterpart of Violet appear in front of him caused Dr. Mark to jump in fright. "Yikes! Oh, wait... you're Mary..."

Mary laughed; she'd been hoping to catch the doctor off-guard. "Yeah, that's me. Surprised you didn't run away thinking I was a ghost or something."

"Well, I saw two Yugi Mutos and two Marik Ishtars when I was 17... So, I guess I'm not too freaked... You surprised me... You aren't an ancient spirit from Egypt, are you?" he dared ask.

She snorted derisively. "Egypt? Me? Heck no! As far as I know, I'm just a part of Violet. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Okay, just checking," he answered as the three eaters finished their last Danishes at the same time.

"I was first!" Violet proclaimed immediately.

"Nu-uh! I was!" Jesse countered.

"No, I was!" Jaden complained. Tyson, as the official judge, sighed. They'd eaten way too fast.

Mary sighed heavily, pushing her ghostly body off of the wall and walking over to the table. Stepping in front of the three, she slammed her intangible hands down on the table and leaned in close to them. "As much as I find this whole contest to be gross and disturbing, I happen to have a keen eye for detail." She leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. "It was a three-way tie."

Tyson looked up, made contact with the spirit and nodded. "Guys... it was a three-way tie... again..."

"WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING?! WHY MUST YOU MOCK ME, OH LORD?!" Jaden shouted in frustration.

Inexplicably, Aster started giggling madly. "Simpsons did it!" he managed to say.

"You saw that South Park episode, didn't you?" Adrian asked drily.

"Yup," Aster answered, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

Both Violet and Jesse groaned. "Tarnation! I thought I had it this time!" the bluenette whined.

"Man! I could've sworn I was eating them faster than you guys," the girl muttered.

"How you all eat must defy the laws of physics somehow," Bastion said. 'They must each have a black hole in their gullets,' he thought. Unfortunately... he'd said it out loud.

Violet flipped around in her chair to grin at her fiancé. "Nope! Just big appetites and fast metabolisms!"

_And so it seems that things are slowly returning to normal for the gang. But is everything okay? Next time, join us for "Nocturne of Peace." And until then, which hopefully won't be as long, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you very much!_


	44. Nocturne of Peace

Chapter XLIV: Nocturne of Peace

_Hello again, dear readers and Peach would like you all to know that this delay was again her fault. Her trusty laptop of two years and nearly four months old died. Fortunately the hard drive information was able to be salvaged, so we didn't have to do any rewrites. Peach's computer hard drive was salvaged by some very nice tech support guys and they have Peach and Ani's gratitude for doing what they did. Thank you!_

_And now, to our dear fans, thank you so much for your patience! Between computer headaches and everything else, we know it must be annoying to wait for a chapter. Anyway, last time, Violet began to deal with her bipolar disorder. She and Annie remembered a night in their first year, and medication helped Violet begin a return to normalcy. So what will happen next? Stay tuned!_

_**Usual disclaimer: If we said we didn't own it before, we don't think we own it now. We just own what we own. Thank you.**_

_Authors' note: This chapter contains a very romantic situation between a soon-to-be-married couple. As always, viewer discretion is advised. Thank you very much._

Later in the day, it seemed that Violet was returning to her old happy self. The group was all sitting in Bastion's room, sipping on drinks and eating treats that Dorothy had brought for them. "Violet," Bastion said, "when I'm able to get out of here... think we could do something absolutely insane?"

Violet looked at her fiancé in surprise, then grinned. Numerous ideas fitting his description popped into her head instantaneously. "Sure, Bastion! I'd love to."

The other members of the group exchanged glances. "Is this the kind of insane we should leave the room for?" Jaden wondered out loud. His mind, in the past year, had undergone a metamorphosis which meant he now got innuendo. Unfortunately, this was one of those times where there was none.

Bastion blushed a little. "Er... no..."

"Well, what?"

"Just something fun insane," the British-accented Ra stated, trying to get control of the fire on his cheeks.

Violet, too, blushed a cherry red color, and had nearly choked on her snack at Jaden's words. She quickly snatched one of the ideas from her head to get their minds out of the gutter. "Like... going down a hill on a wheelchair!"

It was now Jaden's turn to blush the shade of his dorm. "Uh... oh crap..."

"Slacker has a dirty mind," Chazz teased in a singsong voice.

"If this was our first year, I'd be shocked," Alexis added with a smirk.

And then Jaden went into adorable chibi mode. "And you're not shocked now?" he asked, giving her puppy eyes.

Alexis flushed a little and quickly glanced away. "Now you're cheating."

"How am I cheating?" he asked adorably.

Her solid frown began faltering as she refused to look at him longer than a second. "That stupid face..."

"What's wrong with my stupid face?" he asked in the same way.

Now she was twitching; the puppy dog/chibi face had powers greater than any villain. "That look! Stop it! You're driving me crazy, Jaden!!"

He knew full well what he was doing, and yet he persisted... "What look?"

Alexis couldn't take it anymore. With the guttural roar she usually reserved for beating her brothers, she tackled the Slifer and promptly began smothering him with a furious kiss.

Everyone stared for a second and then started laughing. Bastion, though, laughed himself into a good coughing fit. It took a drink of water to calm his cough down. "Darn this dry throat," he groaned softly. It was scratchy and dry and his chest felt just a little bit congested.

Violet, sitting by his bedside, took his hand and smiled at him. "It'll go away soon, Bastion. Then you can laugh as much as you want with no problems!"

"That'd be nice, love," he muttered, sinking back into his pillows sleepily.

Meanwhile, Jaden and Alexis came up for air. "Whoa," the Slifer muttered in awe. "Lex... I thought you were gonna shake me..."

Alexis, blushing fiercely, looked away in embarrassment and muttered, "I can't when you do _**that**_."

"Bro... why haven't you mastered that look?" Chazz whispered to his brother.

Atticus pouted. "I _**did**_ master it when I was younger... But pretty soon Mom and Lexi grew a resistance to me doing it and only got annoyed when I did..."

"I've gotta try it on Mindy," the younger Rhodes smirked. "Something tells me that if I tried it on Mom, it wouldn't work..."

Atticus shook his head emphatically. "Nope. It wouldn't faze her at all... and doing it to Lexi just annoys her. Well... unless _**Jay**_ does it," he said in a teasing tone. Alexis sent him such a fierce glare that he yanked Chazz in front of him as a human shield.

"HEY!" Chazz yelped. "I'm smaller than you!" And he jumped up and grabbed his brother by the ears.

"AGH!! NOT THE EARS!! I need those to practice my singing!" the older boy yelped, quickly formulating a counter-attack... tickling. He reached out and began tickling the black-haired teen in his most ticklish places.

"ARRRGH!!! ATTICUS!!! AH HA HA HA!! ATTICUS!!" Chazz shrieked, laughing at the same time as he released his grip on the surfer boy's ears.

Atticus, grinning, continued the tickle torture. "Say my singing is awesome, bro! Say it!"

"YOUR SINGING IS AWESOME!!! NOW QUIT IT!!!" Chazz was laughing so hard he actually had tears running down his face.

Atticus pulled away from his brother, satisfied. "There. Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"No... But if I hear your rendition of anything Justin Timberlake sings ever again, I will release that picture of you dancing in your boxers in the backyard last summer on my blog!"

"HEY!! You said you'd keep it only for the album!"

"WHAT?! I SAID I'D BURN IT!"

"Here they go again," Aster groaned softly.

Alexis already knew how to handle the situation. She stood and went to stand to the side of her brothers, hands on her hips as she let them continue for a few moments. Then, without warning, she grabbed each of their heads and bonked them together. "Both of you, SHUT IT. We're in the infirmary; don't go yelling and arguing with each other over something so little! Chazz, the stupid things Atty does while on a sugar high are private. It'd embarrass us as much as it would him and you know it-"

"HEY!!" Atticus yelped indignantly.

"And YOU, Atty, NO singing Justin Timberlake! You remember what happened last time! HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR?" The teenage girl resembled her mother so much at that moment that both teens felt inclined to call her as such.

And Chazz did just that... "Yes, Mom..." He said that in a terrified, high-pitched voice.

Atticus echoed his brother, in the exact same pitch. "Y-Yes, Mom!"

Alexis blinked a few times in surprise, then glowered at the two. One could practically see the flames surrounding her as she grabbed them by the back of their collars. "What!? Do I LOOK like MOM to YOU?!?!" There was one reason and one reason only that Alexis was mad; she did NOT look that old!

If this were an anime, the two Rhodes brothers would be in chibi mode and crying. Were this a Bugs Bunny cartoon as directed by Tex Avery, they would have literally run through the infirmary wall, screaming like little girls and leaving Atticus and Chazz-sized holes in said wall. As it was, they were both cowering in fear. "Uh... it's just... when you're ticked off... you do look like her, sis," Chazz admitted. "But you look like she did when she was younger..."

Atticus, catching on to the problem, nodded frantically. "Y-Yeah, sis! Like a younger version of Mom; much, much younger! It's just your actions that remind us of her! Really!!"

Alexis seemed to consider their groveling pleas, and then released them with a merciful frown. "Fine. I'll let you guys off... THIS TIME."

Chazz was actually shivering when he said, "Thanks, Lexi... Uh... and... I'm glad you didn't kill me... I ordered a good wedding present for you guys. It's..."

"DON'T TELL US WHAT IT IS YET!" Jaden demanded.

"Why?"

"It's supposed to be a surprise, right?"

"He has a point, bro," Atticus agreed.

"Yeah..."

"Yeah... unless you want to know, Lex?" Jaden asked curiously.

"No, I'd rather wait," she answered seriously.

Jaden looked thoughtful for a minute. "Hmmm... aw, well... I'll just get driven nuts for... however long it takes for us to get married... I mean, it's only gonna be a couple of weeks, right?"

The others nodded. "Probably." Bastion was recovering at a pretty steady pace, and it didn't seem as if any other problems would occur before the wedding.

"I, for one, am actually looking forward to the final tux fittings," Bastion observed with a tired smile.

"Private, you are..." Tyson began, trying to think of the right word.

Rosa nudged her fiancé in the ribs and whispered into his ear, "Thinking positively, Ty-Ty."

"Uh... You're really relaxed about this, Private Misawa," Tyson decided to say, again thanking the Almighty that Rosa was smarter than him. He'd thought about saying, "You're nuts," but then the reaction from Violet and Rosa would've been ugly.

"He's just thinking on the bright side of things, that's all," Violet replied reassuringly.

"Perhaps you're right," Bastion said, eyes closing. The fever was making him sleepy, but fortunately, it was down to 101. Annie and Miss Fontaine had assured them that a fever might actually be a good thing for the Ra genius and everyone was hopeful.

"Yeah," Tyson grinned sheepishly.

Afternoon turned to evening, and most of the gang left the infirmary. "Violet, call if you need anything, and Bastion, you don't need to study!" Annie said firmly. "You heard Miss Fontaine and Chancellor Shepherd. You're not taking finals..."

"But Annie..!" Bastion whined. The nurse and school chancellor had informed him this afternoon that since he was sick and that he had done splendidly in all of his classes, he wouldn't have to take finals. But when Bastion had asked to take them, the two told him firmly that he wouldn't sit them because he couldn't be allowed to study.

"Bastion, don't make me hide your schoolbooks," Violet stated in a warning tone.

"Darling, I want to take my finals," the bed-ridden young man groaned.

"Bastion, enjoy being sick for once!" Jaden groaned, laughing. When he, Jaden was sick, he would enjoy it to the fullest.

"You can study all you want when you go to college, Bastion," Alexis reminded with a smirk.

"I know... but I've never missed a major exam," he sighed. And then he yawned. "But... perhaps I shouldn't fight... Violet, are you able to stay tonight?" he asked his beloved.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm staying, Bastion. I'll be right here if you need anything."

"Ditto," Mary stated as she appeared beside her twin.

And so Annie, Syrus, Jaden and Alexis were the last to step out of the infirmary for the night, leaving Violet, Bastion and of course, Mary, alone with Miss Fontaine.

As the other couples and members of the gang made their way back to their dorms, Tyson and Rosa made it back to their room in Obelisk. Rosa had just been allowed out of the infirmary in the afternoon and so this was a good evening. "Okay, darlin', a couple more steps and we're in," Tyson said as they reached the door. She had insisted on walking without his help and after what they'd discussed last week, he didn't want to risk babying her.

Rosa, secretly, was regretting telling Tyson not to help her. Her olive skin was paler than normal, and her breathing was slightly labored. A few beads of sweat had formed above her brow and she brushed them away irritably with a hand. When had a walk become so exhausting? "I know... Ty-Ty. I know," she replied breathlessly.

"Rosa... look, I know you said you didn't need help, but... Could I at least give you my arm?" he asked, genuinely worried at how pale she was getting.

"I'm fine," she answered sternly, but only a moment later felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. She stumbled, sighed, and grabbed onto her fiancé's arm. "...I suppose I could use a… little help," she muttered stubbornly.

"It's all right, I've got you," he soothed gently. "When I was recoverin' a few years ago, I got woozy from the medicine... It's all right..." He helped her to the door and then they were in the room. He guided her to the couch so she could catch her breath. "It's all right, darlin... It's all right..."

She sighed heavily and leaned back against the cushions, eyes closed as she tried to slow her heartbeat and breathing. The next few weeks were going to be aggravating. "I hate being so weak..."

He quickly ran and got a cool washcloth and laid it over her forehead. "You ain't weak," he murmured. "You got sick fightin' off Darkness... and you pretty much fought him off..."

The coolness felt wonderful against her burning forehead, sinking in to soothe her pounding head from the tiring long walk. "But now I cannot even walk without getting sick and tired," she groaned.

"It takes time," Tyson explained gently, also checking her pulse and wondering if he'd need to call Annie, since Miss Fontaine had her hands full with Violet and Bastion. "You're gettin' stronger. You were able to get out of bed... And walk all the way down here... A few days ago, you didn't even have the strength to get outta bed..."

Rosa sighed again, knowing he was right but frustrated by her apparent weakness. "I know... but I feel weak..."

"You're not, darlin'," Tyson murmured. "You want some water?"

"Si... Gracias, mi amor," Rosa muttered, unconsciously switching to Spanish in her exhaustion.

"De nada," he said in response, going and getting a bottle of cold water for her. "Just sip it slow," he murmured in Spanish to her.

"Why?" she asked irritably, very thirsty from the walk.

"Stomach cramps," he groaned softly. "That happened to me on that dig in Utah... before the accident..."

He took a deep breath and added, "You can get sick from drinkin' it too fast..." She frowned in slight aggravation, but took his advice and sipped the water slowly. "We can get some food in you, too... Professor Sartyr sent us dinner again," the young man said as his lady drank the fluid. "We have some gazpacho," he finished gently.

Rosa sighed, feeling the warm buzz tingle her soon-to-be aching muscles. "That sounds good..." Gazpacho was a cold Spanish soup made with vegetables; many considered it to be an acquired taste for those unused to cold soups.

Tyson got bowls of the cold soup for himself and Rosa, having actually gained an appreciation for various foods from his military upbringing. No one would know it from Tyson's rough manner, but he was actually quite a well-heeled young man. "There we are," he said. "When you're ready, I can help you..."

A vein popped out on Rosa's forehead, and she sent her fiancé a look. "I can do it myself, gracias." Turning back to her soup with a haughty expression, she shakily began to eat.

Tyson couldn't help but look a little bit hurt this time. "I just wanted to help, darlin'..."

Rosa, catching the tone in his voice, sighed and glanced at him before looking away. "I know, Ty-Ty. But... you know how I am when it comes to help... I prefer doing things on my own," she muttered.

"I know, Spanish Rose... I just... you're exhausted," he said simply, "and that ain't a reflection on how strong you are... You're still plumb tuckered out..."

Rosa silently cursed. Tyson was the only man- the only person- who could make her change her mind on even this point. "Why do you have to be so..." She muttered the descriptive word under her breath so that he couldn't hear it, flushing a bit.

Tyson looked at her, not sure what she'd said. "I wouldn't change you at all, Rosadina... We're both stubborn, Mama says... Josephina said the same thing last summer when you were recoverin' from the snake bite..." He thought a little bit more and added, "And then when we were in Texas school shoppin', Mama said you were as cute as a button when you were helpin' that lady with her packages. And you were so gentle too..."

Rosa, though tired, felt a rush of energy as her attraction to the Texan teen shone through. Shakily setting down her bowl of soup on the coffee table, she turned to Tyson and moved forward. She had intended to embrace him and kiss him until both of them were senseless, but with that single movement the short burst of energy she'd gotten dropped to nil. Rosa found herself falling quite short of her quarry and cursing the current weakness of her body.

But Tyson, understanding what she wanted, pulled her into his strong arms and kissed her tenderly. When they broke apart, he murmured, "I'd kiss you 'til we were both tired but then... after dessert, I couldn't give you your surprise..." Tyson had, the day after Rosa had returned, gone online and bought her favorite cinnamon bath oil, gotten cinnamon candles and cleaned her favorite red nightgown. Tonight would be all about making her relax and recover.

Rosa blinked. "Surprise?"

"Yeah... tonight's about you feelin' better and regainin' your strength. You've gained some weight back, but you just need to get stronger..." He took a deep breath. "You'll like this surprise. I've been workin' on it since you got back from... that place." She frowned, wondering what it could possibly be. She hadn't seen any hints since she'd gotten back, so it must have been something he could easily hide. "Just give me a minute to get it set up. Are you okay here for a few minutes?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she answered, still trying to think of what it could be.

Tyson nodded and headed into their bathroom. He turned on the warm water and added some bath oil to the water and then lit the flameless candles he'd set around the edge of the huge tub. The spicy cinnamon scent filled the air almost immediately and to him it was intoxicating because it was her scent. She had used cinnamon so much that it was part of her natural smell. To Tyson, that scent was now akin to an aphrodisiac, but on this night, he must put that feeling aside. 'This is temptation... And I can't give in tonight,' he told himself firmly as he headed to the bedroom to get the nightgown ready.

It didn't take the overpowering smell, used in such abundance, to reach Rosa. She blinked in surprise at the familiar tingle in her nose, looking over towards the bedroom and bathroom where Tyson had gone to. Maybe her surprise wasn't as hard to figure out as she first thought.

He looked in on her and said, "It's almost ready, darlin'. Do you want your slippers?"

"No, that's all right," she replied as she got to her feet, still a little unsteady but able to walk.

Tyson walked right over to her and smiled. "Okay... then let's head to the bathroom... That's the first part of my surprise..."

"I smell cinnamon... You got the bath oil, didn't you?" Rosa asked, heading towards the bathroom.

He led her into the now darkened bathroom. It was lit only with the candles now, giving off a warm, intimate glow. "I did… and a few other things," he admitted.

"Candles, too... but I'm guessing there's more, isn't there?" she questioned with a pleasant sigh.

"Mmmhmmm... I got somethin' to give you a backrub so you'll sleep tonight..." He had gotten nicely scented massage oil as well. It wasn't cinnamon scented, but lightly scented with... he wasn't sure, but it smelled lovely.

She smiled as she slipped off her Obelisk blazer, looking forward to a massage. His strong hands always knew just where she was the tensest and were never too hard in their kneading. "Could you help me with this, Tyson?" she asked, motioning to the zipper of her dress.

Tyson nodded, helping her out of her dress. He had helped her dress this morning and again saw her pretty red bra and panties. 'Think unarousin' thoughts, soldier! You're on duty!' his mind yelled at him.

Rosa wasn't as muscular and curvy as she had been before the Darkness ordeal, but she wasn't a wisp of flesh and bone anymore, either. She was just a little underweight, but was still a very attractive young woman. She smirked teasingly when she saw her fiancé staring, unhooking her bra. "Like what you see, mi amor?" she whispered.

"Yes," he said in a voice about an octave above his normal one.

She laughed a bit, finding it cute when he blushed such a harsh shade of red that even his tanned skin couldn't hide it. "Good," Rosa added as she slipped off the remainder of her clothes and climbed into the tub.

Tyson swallowed, watching her lithe form climb in. But he _**would**_ restrain himself tonight. And so he sat on the edge of the tub, ready to help her however he could. "Feels good, doesn't it?" he asked.

Rosa sighed sinking down into the warm water as the scent of spicy cinnamon wafted over her. She closed her eyes, allowing her other senses to have a field day in the setting. "Yes," she murmured breathlessly.

"I thought you'd like it," he stated gently. "All I thought of when... you were... I just wanted you back, and when you were... I'd treat you like a queen..."

She smiled, opening her eyes to look up at him as she placed a soft hand on the hardened, sculpted muscles of his arm. "You don't need to do that for me, Tyson... I am just glad that I am back with you at last... You are all I need..."

"I want to," he answered, smiling at her tenderly. "You are... dang it!" He was tongue-tied.

She laughed again, moving up to plant a gentle kiss on his reddened cheek. "You don't need to say anything, Tyson," she whispered. The lift had exposed Rosa's ample chest and Tyson couldn't hide a blush at the sight. Even though they would have been married in less than two weeks and he had seen her figure unconcealed a lot in the summer, her tanned body still made him blush. Rosa caught the extra redness filling up her love's cheeks, and blinked in momentary confusion. Then, feeling the cool air breeze around her chest, she blushed a bit herself and lowered back into the water.

It took the young man a moment to find his voice. "Uh..." That wasn't what he wanted to say. "You... are beautiful..." That was better.

She managed an embarrassed smile, finding his current speech problem as cute as his blush. "Gracias, mi amor. Y tu esta muy bonito," she murmured in her native tongue.

"Gracias, mi amor," he answered in response. "You're the prettiest one in this school... to me..."

She reached out a hand, pressing it softly against his firm, strong chest. "And you are the strongest, bravest, toughest man I know, Ty-Ty."

Oh... he was going to have some rather interesting dreams tonight. "Thanks, darlin'," he murmured. He began running the water over her shoulders, watching it run down the exposed skin.

She hummed lightly in contentment, closing her eyes once more as she folded her arms on the tub's edge and rested her head on them. "That feels... nice, Ty-Ty..."

"Yeah... just let yourself relax, darlin'... I'm just glad to have you home..."

"I'm glad to be home, Tyson..."

Tyson kept ladling the water over her and then it was time to get out. "Let's get you out and into some clean stuff and I can give you a rubdown," he offered.

Rosa grinned, feeling refreshed. The warm water had soothed her sore muscles, and the cinnamon had turned her nerves and senses to a calm pool of gelatin. "That sounds wonderful."

"Okay..." He helped her from the tub, wrapping her favorite dark red towel around her and leading her to their bedroom. She put on a fresh pair of red panties and he helped her stretch out across their bed. The oil had been warming in a special container and he put some on his hands. "Okay... tell me where you'd like to start..."

"My legs," she murmured. They were still a little sore and knotted up from the long walk.

He moved down to her legs and started at her feet, moving slowly upward in gentle strokes. He rubbed upward to her muscular thighs. "Is this okay?"

"Yes... oh, Tyson, that's perfect," she whispered, groaning softly as her tight muscles slowly began to unwind at his touch.

He kept rubbing gently, keeping up the pressure. The low light in their room, combined with the cinnamon scent was very heady to him. 'It's... can't go down that road!' his mind screamed, though that wasn't working with his body. The atmosphere was working against Rosa's body as well, causing the massage to become much more arousing than it should have been. She couldn't stifle the small moan that escaped her lips as Tyson moved up past her hips and to her back. He used gentle pressure, kneading her muscles. "Let me know if I'm bein' too rough," he said gently. His dinosaur genes were whispering to him and were making his blood begin to heat.

"Oh, no... you're just fine, Tyson," she murmured, feeling the familiar buzz of attraction within her. She could sense what was probably going to happen in the next minute or so, but didn't feel the need or want to stop it.

"Okay..." Tyson rubbed up and down her back, straddling her as he did, intending only to make rubbing her back easier. Instead, though... it was beginning to have a somewhat predictable effect on him. Rosa let out another soft moan of pleasure as she felt the taut muscles in her back fully unwind. Feeling the pinpricks in her legs and feet that signaled they were starting to fall asleep from lack of movement, she bent her knees and kicked them up and down a bit. Unfortunately, during one of these kicks, her foot slammed into her fiancé's behind and set him off-balance.

And so Tyson fell right on top of her back in a potentially enviable position. 'SAM HILL!' his mind screamed at him as his body told him something rather animalistic. Oh, he hoped Rosa didn't notice how turned on he was, and at this moment, he envied women.

Rosa "oomp'd" in surprise as she felt the large weight of her fiancé land on her back, slightly knocking the wind out of her. When she'd managed to catch her breath, she craned her neck to try and look back at him. "Tyson? Are you all right?" she questioned in confusion. His PDA was digging into her hip in a very uncomfortable way.

He pushed up a little bit, flushed. "Y-yeah," he groaned softly. His pulse was pounding and his face was hot. He could not lose control. 'You are an officer and a gentleman...'

'But you're also a bit rough, aren't you?' another voice in his head whispered.

Since he was no longer lying directly on her, she was able to flip around to face him. "Are you sure? You're red... you didn't hit your face on the back of my head, did you?" she asked worriedly. Forgetting that she was topless and braless, she reached up a hand to touch his cheek in concern. 'It may not be that, but,' she thought, blushing.

'You wanted this, didn't you?' asked another voice in her head.

Tyson's body was really turned on now. "N-no..." And then he moved forward to kiss her passionately, almost in a primal way. Rosa saw it coming and didn't hesitate, moving up to meet his lips with hers in a powerful contact of flesh. Her eyes closed again in bliss as her hand dropped down to grip his shoulder.

Tyson felt her figure against her, not resisting and brushed his tongue against her mouth, requesting entry. His dinosaur genes were telling him to take what he wanted, but fortunately, his human genes and upbringing still had control. Rosa gladly parted her lips, her own tongue darting out to meet his before it could even begin to enter her mouth. Her leg slid upward, knee accidentally brushing against his groin as her body vied for a more comfortable position beneath him.

His body shook at the contact, his hands moving to help her into that more desirable position. Soon he was rubbing his hands up and down her bare back, and then his own t-shirt was very uncomfortable. Pulling away for air, she was also finding his shirt to be an annoyance. Mind hazed by her rushing hormones and pounding blood, she helped him get it off and then ran her smooth hands down his bare chest.

Somewhere in Tyson's hazed mind was a voice telling him that this was as dangerous as that night on the beach back in the fall semester, but that voice was being smothered by lust. He moved his lips from hers to her cheek, jaw and then neck, keeping her in his grip.

Rosa had only known the theory of "abstinence until marriage" for the most recent two years of her life. For fourteen years, she had been raised on the idea that once you were engaged, there were no more limits like that one. And so now she reverted to that state of mind, not even the slightest consideration of stopping her fiancé's ministrations prying through the fog of their love. She moaned softly, sensing the waves of raw animal instinct rolling off of him. It only aroused her more, making her own body return to those primal prehistoric feelings.

Tyson's family hadn't taught abstinence only in his time in the world. Dean Hassleberry, having been in the military, had seen many a young man give into their more base urges and get into trouble. And so when his son had been old enough, Dean had told Tyson that though he'd prefer it if his son waited until he was in a committed relationship, he wanted Tyson to be cautious. And now, Tyson was in that committed relationship. But the more logical part of him said it was too soon for this. That part wasn't yet overriding his animal instincts and teen boy hormones as he moved his lips down his fiancée's neck. Her moans were only serving to make him hotter and her cinnamon scent was pulling him in like a siren's song.

Rosa pulled back her head, giving him plenty of room to do as he wanted to her neck and shoulders. One of her hands reached up to grip his matted dreadlocks, while the other dragged its trimmed nails slowly down his spine. She could feel the bulge in his pants quite clearly, and could feel her own body reacting in a similar way as her ruby-colored panties grew damp. "Tyson," she breathed in a whispery moan of want and need.

Tyson might have gone further to the point of no return, but then abruptly, he pulled back at her murmur. He was panting hard and shivering a little as he returned to his senses. "R-Rosa..."

Rosa, too, shivered at the sudden loss of heated contact. She frowned in obvious confusion and irritation, meeting his lust-filled eyes with her own. "T-Tyson... what... why did you stop?"

"We... we..." He shivered, his body coming down from that high. "We can't... not tonight..."

Her frown deepened as she felt her body begin to slide back down to grounded reality as well. "Why not?"

"You're not feelin' great... and I could hurt you," he panted, rolling off to lie next to her.

Shivering again as the cool air rushed around her now exposed body, she instinctively pulled close to his side. "I'm... fine, Tyson..."

"You... were so tired... and I was... givin' in," he apologized.

"I'm not... that tired... and I didn't stop you..." she reminded.

"Yeah... but... you'd get winded... And..." He sat up, looking decidedly ashamed of himself.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, needing to stay close to him. "Please, Tyson, don't do this to yourself..."

"It's just... I'm afraid I'm gonna hurt you, especially now... I wasn't totally in control... And I want to be tender with you..." His fear, beyond the obvious consequences of going too far before it was time, was that if he got too heated with his dinosaur DNA, he might be far too rough with her when they were intimate. In her currently weakened state, he worried he could really injure her.

"You will... when the time comes, I know you will, Tyson..." Rosa looked up at him, but he wasn't looking at her. "Tyson... look at me," she commanded in Spanish.

He turned his head to look at those beautiful chocolate brown eyes of hers. In the low lighting of their room, her hair looked a little redder, and he was oddly reminded of a somewhat chilly evening in the Mediterranean when they were wrapped up on the hills near the ocean, drinking hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon on top.

She met his eyes, the eyes that could change to something inhuman in less than a second. His hair was even messier than usual from their make-out session, but the wild look somehow increased her attraction towards him. Reaching up, she placed her hand against his cheek, which was still a bit moist with sweat. "Tyson, what were you born as?" she asked softly.

He searched her eyes, still a bit afraid of what he could potentially do to her. "I was... born human..."

"Yes, Tyson. You were born a man. And you are still a valiant, handsome man right now, right here. Yes, you gained strange things from the dinosaur bone that saved your life. But deep down, where it matters most, you will always be human. You are not an animal, Tyson. And I trust that your humanity will stand strong against that beast part of you when it counts." Her words were strong and powerful, but her voice and tone were as soft as her kisses. He kissed her again, but this time it was a sweet sort of passionate kiss that he gave her. Her words and action had cooled him off. She returned the kiss, fueling it with her love and reassuring him of her trust in his will. When they broke apart, she managed a weak smile. "Now... will you stop berating yourself for something you will never do?"

"Okay," he promised. "Why don't I get you some hot chocolate?"

"That sounds good... when did it get so drafty in here?" she asked, shivering again.

"Since... we are in a serious state of undress," he said, slightly embarrassed. "Let's get your nightgown on first." He picked up the pretty red gown she often wore, made out of a microfiber weave.

"Good idea," she murmured, blushing. With his help, she managed to get the soft piece of clothing on, and sighed as she leaned against the headboard of the bed.

He propped her up with the pillows and laid a warm blanket over her. "There you are, Rosadina..."

She took his rough hand for a moment, squeezing it. "Thank you, Tyson... You take such good care of me..."

"I'm glad to, darlin'," he murmured, feeling hot tears come to his eyes. The pain of not having her for nearly two weeks and then keeping vigil at her side was still fresh with him. She knew this, and held out her arms for him, inviting him into an embrace. Though she had been without him as he had been without her, she had been too busy with her nightmare to brood over his absence. She hoped that she would never have to experience that pain, and sincerely wished that the man she loved hadn't had to. He hugged back, shivering. "It was so lonely without you..."

She hugged him tightly, running a soothing hand up and down his strong, muscular back. "I'm sorry I left you... If I can help it, I'll never leave you again, Tyson..."

"You... you took the bullet for me..." Of the memories burned into his mind, Rosa taking the blow intended for him and disappearing in the flames would be one of the most vivid until the day he died.

She frowned at the memory. "I... I wanted to save you this time... I wanted to protect you..."

"Oh, darlin'," he murmured, kissing her forehead. She leaned into him, closing her eyes and forcing down the tears that wanted to flow out. There was nothing to cry about anymore; all of that was in the past. Tyson couldn't hold his back, thankful that the woman he loved was again safe in his arms. "Sh-should I get your hot chocolate?" he managed to say.

Rosa held onto him, opening her eyes to meet his as she wiped away a few of his tears. "No... just stay with me, Tyson..."

He was glad he'd actually gotten his shirt off now. He pulled off his cargo pants and grabbed his pajamas. He put them on and got into bed with her, putting his arms around her. "I'm right here..."

She moved in close to him, pressing against him as much as their bodies would allow. Burying her face in the crook of his neck, she was comforted by his familiar scent and sighed contentedly.

Tyson held her, feeling content. 'She's right here... and I'm gonna keep her safe and happy...' And then his mind went fuzzy as the haze of sleep came over them.

Rosa closed her eyes, feeling exhaustion creep over her. 'He's here... I'm here... I won't leave him again… not without a fight,' she thought as she drifted off. And soon, the room was quiet as the couple slipped into pleasant dreams.

_It seems that things are finally beginning to look up for the gang after such a long horrific time. It also seems that Sy and Annie aren't the only couple with an active libido. Anyhow, next time, we return to a family that is about to undergo a severe change. So please join us for "La Tragédie de Bonaparte." So until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you so much, everyone!_


	45. La Tragedie de Bonaparte

Chapter XLV: La Tragédie de Bonaparte

_Hello again, GX true believers! And welcome back to __**Darkness Falls**__. We wish to thank all of you who read and reviewed the last chapter! And this time, there is not such a delay in updating!_

_Last time, Violet was back to her zany, happy self and Bastion, though still sick, seemed to be recovering from his illness. And then Tyson and Rosa had a rather steamy moment. So what will happen next to the group? Read on and find out!_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. We just add in our OCs and have fun playing around in the universe.**_

_Authors' note: This chapter deals with what sometimes happens in custody situations. Occasionally, one parent decides that it simply is better if the other takes full custody. There are many reasons for doing this. We hope we have treated this subject sensitively._

At the same time Rosa was allowed to leave the infirmary, Marcel Bonaparte was allowed to leave as well with his father. "Marcel... I'll be staying in your room with you until school is over, all right?" Jean-Louis asked his son, carrying him.

Marcel nodded. "Oui, Papa... When school is over, do I have to go back to France?"

"Well, what do you want, Marcel?" the man asked.

The small boy frowned. "I… I don't know... I want to see Maman, but I want to stay with you too..."

"Well... perhaps we'll talk to Maman soon and decide what happens for part of the summer," Jean-Louis answered, little realizing that thousands of miles away, the decision was made for him.

Back in Paris, Antoinette Bonaparte had been in an off-and-on relationship, now stable, with Monsieur Andre LaMonte, a brilliant yoga teacher. He was her age, and also a great deal more handsome than her ex-husband. He was tall, had a full head of dark hair and soulful dark eyes. He wasn't thrilled with children, but he really liked little Marcel. "Darling, perhaps we should see about Marcel staying with his father this summer. He is happier with his father, I think, and we can go on holiday that much easier. The resort I've thought of really doesn't cater to children. He'll be bored..." They were at a wonderful little café enjoying coffee and croissants in the morning sunshine.

Antoinette had long been wondering about how best to handle her only son. She loved him, of course, and it was obvious that Andre liked him. But she felt that if she was going to marry a new husband, she should start a new life entirely. So now Antoinette nodded, knowing what she was going to do. "That is a wonderful idea, Andre. I will call them later today when I get home and see what they want to do."

"Well, love, we'll have fun together and maybe he can come to us later..." Andre figured she would miss her son and need to see him at some point later in the year. But he didn't think she'd do what she did a short time later.

When Antoinette arrived home she went straight to the phone, wanting to get it over with. She dialed a number she rarely called; the one Jean-Louis had given her before he left.

At Duel Academy, Jean-Louis Bonaparte picked up his cell phone in surprise. "Well... Marcel, it's Maman," he said with a smile. "We can talk this out right now! Hello, Antoinette," he greeted his ex-wife.

"Hello, Jean." Antoinette's greeting was a bit more distant; she had lost what remaining love she'd had for her ex-husband a while ago. And she knew her love was waning for her son as well because of that. "How is Marcel doing?"

"He's doing better. He's gaining some weight, Antoinette. And he is feeling a bit happier. His friends have made sure he doesn't feel alone," he answered.

'At least he will have plenty of people around him after this,' she thinks, making her decision concrete. "That's wonderful, Jean. I just called to tell you something important that has been weighing on my mind for quite some time..."

"What is it, Antoinette? Is everything all right?" Jean-Louis asked, concerned. Even though he had a new loving relationship, Antoinette was still the mother of his only child and he, on some level would always love her. He couldn't have predicted what she was about to do, and it would hurt him as much as it would likely hurt Marcel.

Antoinette sighed. This was going to hurt her a bit, too, but everything in her told her it would be for the best. Marcel could live his life in one country with two parents, instead of two countries with four. "Jean... I want to give you full custody of Marcel. Along with your girlfriend, if you would prefer."

"What? Antoinette, why?" he asked. "Why are you doing this?" And then a horrible possibility rang through his mind. _Has something happened to her health?! Is she dying?! _"Is... is there something wrong? Are you in good health?"

"Of course I'm in good health, Jean. I would have told you if I was otherwise. I simply think it would be best if Marcel chose one of us to spend his life with. It would be… easier. And he obviously prefers you over me, and likes America," Antoinette explained. Her tone was only tinged with pain, and she only felt a little regret in doing this.

"Antoinette... he is also French and he loves his home... And he loves us both... He needs you, too," Jean-Louis countered. "I was going to ask to have him at the beginning of the summer... He's only regaining his strength... Think what this may do to him..."

But Antoinette's mind was set, and she wasn't going to change it. "He will get over it with time, Jean. What will things staying the way they are do to him? Constantly flying between countries to see us, having two mothers and fathers, it isn't right. He is too young for that."

"He is thirteen years old, Antoinette. He understands a great deal now... He's no longer a baby. And he will not simply get over this! We almost lost him because of the divorce. He blamed himself! How do you think he'll take this? Antoinette, don't do this," the worried father pleaded. He couldn't understand what his ex-wife's motives were, but he truly feared what this situation would do to the thirteen-year-old.

"I'm sorry, Jean. I have made up my mind. He will be much happier this way, I'm sure that we all will be. I still love him, but I think we should both start anew. And this is the best way to do that," she answered, trying to remain firm in her convictions.

"Antoinette..." Jean-Louis wasn't sure what he could do now, but he had to try. "Do you even want to speak with him?"

Antoinette wanted to, but she knew there was a high possibility that doing so would change her mind. "Not… not now, Jean. Just tell him I still love him. I am only doing what I feel is best."

Jean-Louis Bonaparte closed his eyes, hurting for his son. "Well... well call soon... please, for his sake..."

"I will..." Antoinette decided she would call as soon as the custody change had been made. By then nothing would change her mind, not even hearing her son's voice.

"Thank you, Antoinette... And we'll talk soon... Good-bye..."

"Good-bye, Jean." She hung-up the phone and let out a deep sigh, relief overpowering regret.

Andre had been listening to the entire conversation and stepped to her. "Antoinette, are you sure? I just meant to let him stay with his father early in the summer, not transfer custody..."

Antoinette turned to face the man she loved, perhaps more so than when she had loved Jean-Louis. She took his hands, looking into those dark eyes she often found herself lost in. "Andre, I have been thinking about this for a long time now. I just feel that this is better... that he will be happier and we will be happier. Please, understand..."

As in love as Andre was, he had a feeling that someday Antoinette would regret this. "I'll try... Just stay in contact with him... He will need his maman..."

"I shall, don't worry..." Antoinette wrapped her arms around him, reassuring both of them.

Back at Duel Academy, Jean-Louis closed his phone and turned back to his child. "Marcel... you... will be staying with me this summer..."

Marcel blinked his large, round eyes, which still held so much innocence in them as he stared at his father. "I will? What did Maman call you for, Papa?" He had heard only part of the conversation, and didn't understand all that he had heard.

Jean-Louis hugged his boy to him. "My sweet boy... She called because she wants you to stay with me this summer, and every summer..."

Marcel hugged his father back, frowning in confusion. "But then... when will I see her? During other breaks?"

Jean-Louis wasn't sure what to say. "Let's get you back to your room, all right? And then, we will talk about what's going to happen..."

Marcel wasn't sure what was going on, but decided to just do as his father said for now. "All right, Papa."

They made it to Ra Yellow and once in Marcel's room, Jean-Louis sat his son on his bed and sighed. "I don't know when Maman will want to see you again for certain..." And so he explained, in the gentlest terms possible about the custody arrangement.

Marcel's eyes slowly widened during the explanation, and at the end he stared down at his hands. It was rare that the little Ra actually cried; usually the sadness simply hung about him. But this was one of those rare times, as the tears spilled out of his eyes and dripped down onto his lap. "I... I won't see Maman anymore? She stopped loving me too? But... I love Maman..."

"She hasn't stopped loving you, Marcel... She is... confused right now," the hurt father tried. "You will see her again," he said, hugging his son.

"When, Papa?" Marcel asked, hugging his father and silently crying against him.

"I don't know yet, but we will try to make it soon... And in the meantime, would you like to see Josephine again?" Jean-Louis asked,

The boy sniffled, nodding slightly against him. "Ou-Oui..."

"Okay... We'll invite her very soon... and in the mean time, we'll spend a lot of time together. Marcel, we'll spend the summer together..." Jean-Louis managed a small smile at that. "And if we can arrange it, Blair can be with us too..."

Marcel, even in his current state, blushed. "You think so, Papa?"

Jean-Louis nodded, pressing his forehead to his son's. "I'll talk to her parents as soon as I can... And remember... I love you so much..."

Marcel managed a small smile. "I love you too, Papa..."

_Jean-Louis Bonaparte is now the sole custodial parent of Marcel. It remains to be seen how things will work out with Antoinette, but perhaps we can be hopeful that she will see her son more often than she thinks she will. Anyway, next time, the group should enjoy some well-deserved down time. So please join us for "Walk with the Clouds." So until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	46. A Walk With the Clouds

Chapter XLVI: Walk with the Clouds

_ Hello again, GX fans and fans of the Yugi-verse of Ani and Peach! We welcome you back and are sure you're surprised to see another quick update, but there's a good reason for that. Peach has finally figured out some time in her schedule to do it. Anyway, we're glad to have you all back and are honored you've stayed with us or are just joining us._

_ Last time, Jean-Louis and Marcel Bonaparte discovered that Marcel's mother, Antoinette, decided to give full custody of her only child to his father. So what awaits the gang now? Read on and see._

_**We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. We wish we did. In fact, if it's owned by a particular company, we probably don't own it.**_

Another week passed and Duel Academy seemed to be returning to normal. The Geckos had made an announcement as to their true family status and fortunately, the academy afforded them privacy. The students studied and took their finals if they were able, but Bastion Misawa was not allowed to take his... "This isn't fair... I have to!" he groaned from his bed one morning. "I want to take my finals..."

Violet sweat-dropped, and was about to reply when she was interrupted. "Are you nuts?! You get to miss out on tests!!" Mary exclaimed, appearing and waving her arms dramatically. It had become apparent that Violet's once-evil side wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. And she just loved to spout out her own personal opinion on everything and anything.

Violet sighed. "Bastion, she has a point... I wish I could miss my finals!"

"But I want to show I've still got," he began, only to be cut off by his surrogate sister.

"Bastion, you're valedictorian, for heaven's sake!" Annie groaned, bringing him his medication. "You have proven yourself beyond a shadow of a doubt. You're one of the top duelists in this school and you're the smartest one here. And you've already got a job with the Eisenstein Foundation! Professor Eisenstein himself hand-picked you! You have proven yourself! So let yourself heal," she concluded.

Both the purple-haired girl and her spirit counterpart stared at Annie, simultaneously blinking. "Annie, wow... You're a lot better at this than I am," Violet muttered.

Mary gave the brunette a thumbs-up. "You're one hel-uh, I mean heck of a negotiator." They were still working on the language problem.

Annie grinned wickedly. "I'm a doctor... Well... I will be, and that means I have to speak my patients' language... And Bastion needs to know he's okay..."

"I still want to take my tests..."

"Bastion! You are passing with more than enough extra credit! Relax!" Annie growled sternly.

Violet wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Bastion, Annie's right. There'll be tons more tests in the future, okay? Missing a few won't hurt you."

"All right," he sighed tiredly in her arms. The medicine made him sleepy, and soon he had drifted off.

"He doesn't quit with that... And I thought I was bad," Annie murmured as he slept.

Violet kept her arms around him, looking down at his sleeping form. "He's always been obsessed with academics..."

"At least he's getting stronger," Annie smiled. "Rosa's gaining her weight back, Marcel seems a bit happier... Atticus and Chazz are healing wonderfully... This is working out..."

"We just have to wait a little longer... and then we can help Bastion with what's bothering him," Violet stated in relief, also smiling.

"Yeah..."

GXGXGXGXGXGXGX

All seemed to be improving. The next day, everyone took finals. And the day after... "I DID IT!" Jaden whooped, running into the infirmary to Bastion's cubicle. He held up an exam paper, his brown eyes dancing.

"Did what?" Bastion asked, sitting up.

"I PASSED WITH A B!!!" the Slifer crowed, bouncing around like an excited puppy. If Jaden could've bounced off the walls, he would have.

Alexis sweat-dropped, walking in after him. "Jaden, calm down. You're going to end up breaking something if you keep running around like this..."

"But babe, I PASSED!!" he whooped again... promptly tripping over a chair.

She face-palmed in response. "What did I just say?"

"I'm okay," he groaned, getting to his feet. "I don't think I broke anything..."

"Keep it up and you will," she countered seriously.

"See, Mary? I told you I could get an A without you cheating for me and telling me all the answers," Violet stated as she came into the room, Mary floating beside her.

The spirit scoffed. "I still say my method was safer. You'd definitely get an A no matter what."

"But it's cheating!" the purple-haired human girl countered swiftly.

"It is cheating, Mary, and you just can't do it," Chazz explained, also in the room. "Slacker doesn't use any of his duel spirits to help..."

"I could use Ami, but I'm not going to... And sadly, I wouldn't use Usagi," Annie sighed.

"Hey, it's not my fault I can't figure out tests!" Usagi groaned, tossing her blonde pigtails.

Rei, the raven-haired red-clad Guardian of Mars appeared, smirking. "Tests aren't the only thing you seem to have problems figuring out, Usagi," she teased.

"At least I figured out getting a guy, keeping him and getting married to him!" the leader of the Scouts countered furiously, her very nose twitching as she moved close to her second-in-command.

"I can get a guy if I want to!!" Rei shouted, embarrassed.

"Yeah, but you don't act like you want him around!" Usagi shot back, referring to a guy Rei knew. Amara, the Guardian of Uranus appeared and smacked them both in the back of the head. She had short blonde hair, dark eyes and looked rather like Joey Wheeler, except for the fact that she wore a sailor suit and dark boots.

Rei yelped in pain and held the back of her head, glaring at Amara. "Hey! What was that for?!"

"What do you think? You're both acting like morons... Geez, Usagi, and you're supposed to be the princess?!"

"Yeah, and you're supposed to treat me with respect!" the Moon Princess complained.

Annie sighed. "This is how it always goes..."

"I know what you mean. My aliens fight sometimes too," Violet agreed. "And it's not always verbal."

"Oh, yeah, the explosions... I thought that was just the video game you borrowed from Jaden," Annie grinned sheepishly, remembering nights she'd heard Violet's deck… exploding?!

"Michael Bay's Explosions?" Jaden asked. Said video game had become his favorite in his junior year.

Violet nodded. "Those explosions were the aliens, all right. They DO have advanced weapons, after all."

Everyone, monster, spirit and human laughed. "At least they've kept the peace recently," Bastion sighed. "Syrus, how did you do?"

Syrus grinned. "I managed to get a B..."

"Managed? Sy, you had a B+ in a few of your finals," Annie said proudly.

He blushed lightly. "I'm just glad I got a B."

GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX

The next day, Miss Fontaine examined Bastion thoroughly. "Well, Bastion, it looks like you still are fighting off something, but it's not enough to hold you in the infirmary. Your fever's down enough I think I can let you go back to your dorm. Violet, think you can handle getting him back to Obelisk?" she asked with a smile.

Violet grinned. "Of course, Miss Fontaine! Ready to get out of here, Bastion-baby?"

"You bet, darling... I think I'd like to take a shower later," he sighed. "I've liked the sponge baths but... a shower would be refreshing..."

"All right! Miss Fontaine, can he walk?" she asked.

The nurse took a deep breath, knowing that this could easily become a battle of will. "Once he's in the dorm, he can walk around your room, but I'd rather he go to the dorm in a wheelchair. Bastion, do not argue! You're still a bit weak and you're not the only one in a chair." After Rosa had made it back to the dorms, the nurse had made the Spanish girl stay in a wheelchair when going to classes and when out with Tyson and the rest of the gang.

"Don't worry, Bastion. You always pushed me around; now I get to push you around!" Violet added encouragingly, smiling.

"Oh, all right," Bastion sighed.

"So, are we still on for cloud gazing, guys?" Adrian wondered.

"Sounds good to me. Now that finals are over, there's nothing else to really do," Alexis replied.

"We could use the downtime," Axel sighed.

"I'll get..." Adrian began and then...

"Oh, hi, guys!" Rachel greeted the big group of kids cheerfully, coming into the infirmary. Echo and Sid were with her. "We're ready..."

"Adrian! Are we really going cloud watching like we used to?" Sid asked excitedly, giving his brother a broad grin. For brothers they were, even if they were not siblings legally.

"Yeah, we are, squirt, and everybody's coming!" the older boy grinned back, lifting up his little brother. "Well, Bastion's still not feeling good, but we'll have him do it when he's stronger..."

"I'll stay with Bastion. You guys have fun," Violet said, draping her arms around her fiance's neck.

And so the groups went their separate ways. "I'm just glad to be out of the infirmary finally," Bastion admitted as he and Violet went along the path that led to Obelisk Blue.

"Now you know how I felt all those times. It's great to get some fresh air," Violet replied, grinning.

"Yeah...Hmmm... it smells nice out here," he smiled as they passed a grassy area.

She giggled, stopping so that they could breathe in the nice smells of nature. The grassy area was beside the crest of a hill where they now stood. The dorm could be seen a good ways off. "It does smell nice. I love spring and summer." Bastion breathed as deeply as he could... and then coughed slightly. Violet frowned and placed a hand on his back, lowering so that they were at eye level. "Bastion? Are you okay?"

He looked up at her, smiling slightly. "Must've inhaled some pollen or something... My throat may be a bit dry, darling, too... I'm all right..."

She frowned slightly, but decided he was probably right. "Well, I just got a wicked idea for how we can get you in that shower faster!"

Bastion's face flushed. "Oh?" he asked, having a good idea of where this was going.

"Yup! Just hang on!" Violet pushed forward so that they were on the very edge of the hilltop, a wild grin on her face.

Mary appeared. "Please don't tell me you're going to-"

"BONZAI!!!" Violet shouted, hopping onto the back of the wheelchair as it rolled forward.

"-do… that..." Mary finished as they zoomed past, blinking. "Never mind."

"Violet! WHOA!" Bastion yelled as they sped down the hill toward the dorm.

Several students dived out of the way of the couple on and in the wheelchair, and Doctor Vellian Crowler yelped, "OH NO!!" as he dove aside, blonde ponytail getting messed up in the process. "I should have known after three years," he sighed.

"Sorry, Dr. C!!" Violet called over her shoulder, grinning sheepishly. The speed they had gathered gave them just enough distance to stop a few inches from the doors. She hopped off the back of the wheelchair and pumped a fist into the air. "ALL RIGHT!! That was totally wicked!"

Bastion smiled sheepishly. His face was pale, but he was happy. "That was wicked, love! Now... Shall we get to the room?"

"Good idea! I don't want to know if we accidentally ran anyone over." Violet replied, sweat-dropping and quickly pushing him inside.

When they got into the room, Bastion looked around, smiling as he took a few steps. "It's good to be home..."

Violet smiled, staying by him just in case he needed support. "That's what I felt like when I came back here."

He let her help him to the couch where he sat down. "Do I smell... disinfectant?" The room had, in fact, been cleaned a lot in the past week and a half.

She sobered a bit and rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, uh... remember when Annie had to get stitches...?"

Bastion nodded solemnly, knowing what had happened to his surrogate sister. "Yes, darling... I remember when I woke up and she had the stitches in her cheek and the ice bag on her lip..."

Violet sighed, remembering all that had occurred. "That was when Mary attacked her... in here... There was a lot of blood..." There had been blood splattered on the wall, soaked into the carpet, and smeared on the counter, sink, and doorknob.

"It was when you came back to the dorm to get our things, wasn't it?" he asked, looking at her.

She nodded, gaze turning to the ground. "I really should have been more careful..."

Bastion beckoned her to sit down with him. "Darling," he said, taking her into his arms, "you couldn't have known... please stop blaming yourself... Remember that Mary is a friend now, and that Annie was all right."

Violet leaned into him, as always calmed and reassured by his embrace. She let her eyes slip closed. "I know, Bastion..."

"Annie wasn't terribly hurt... and she knew it wasn't your fault..."

"I know that, too... I guess it's like how you've felt about me..." Of course she was referring to how he couldn't get over feeling that he had failed her.

Bastion rocked her a little in his arms. "I can't protect you every second... I wish I could..."

"But you can't... And that's okay. Because you can when it counts... You made sure Mike wouldn't hurt me again... You rescued me from Taniya... And you even saved me in the World of Darkness," Violet murmured, hoping to convince him.

"And you... stopped Mary from hurting Annie..."

"I did..." She opened her eyes so that her green ones could meet his gray ones. "We both need to accept those things, Bastion..."

"Somehow... some way," he agreed, coughing a little bit again. It was a little scratchy, but could easily be explained as irritation.

She frowned. "Do you want me to get you something for that?"

"Just a glass of water, darling," he answered, smiling a bit.

She grinned. "Okay!"

Violet stood and went to go get him some water, and while she was gone Mary appeared beside him. "So, how long are you gonna keep lying to her just to make her happy?" she asked, not looking at him.

Bastion looked up at the spirit version of his fiancee. "What do you mean?" he asked, trying to look innocent and utterly failing.

Mary glanced at him. "You know what I mean. You're nowhere near getting over your darkness, are you? You're even falling deeper into it..."

Bastion held her gaze. "I'm… not sure... I'm feeling a bit better now that she is..."

Mary frowned. "But you're not okay." She sighed and looked away again. "I won't say anything. That's your responsibility, not mine..."

Mary then disappeared as Violet returned with the glass of water. "Here you go, Bastion-baby!"

"Thank you, love," Bastion said, taking the glass of water and sipping it slowly. The tickle in his throat calmed down.

Violet sat back down beside him, smiling. "So, did you want that shower now?"

He nodded. "That actually sounds nice..."

Her smile became a grin. "Well then, let's go get you changed! Unless you wanted to take a shower in your clothes."

"Good point... Oh, that shower sounds wonderful..."

"Do you want me to stay in the bathroom with you, in case you need something?"

He didn't want to admit it, but he was feeling a bit weak. "Yes, that would probably be a good idea, love," he allowed.

She stood and held out her hands. "Then let's go get you undressed." He let her take him to the bedroom and then to their bathroom where she proceeded to strip him. Bastion hadn't gained much weight back from when he'd been trapped in the World of Darkness, so his body still looked thinner and less muscular than it had. By now Violet had gained most of her weight back, though she was still a pound or two lighter than before. "All right, Bastion. You go ahead and get in, and if you need anything just tell me. I'll be right here."

"Okay," he answered, stepping into the shower. He let the water beat down on him for a long time. Violet sat on the toilet seat, leaning back and letting her mind wander. It was times like these she was glad for her active imagination. And then Bastion began to scrub his body. Despite his gaunt appearance, he still had a very decent body. 'This feels so good,' he thought, reveling in the feeling of the water and soap against his skin.

The smell of the body wash he always used tickled her nose, pulling her out of her daydreaming with a smile. "Enjoying your first shower in forever, Bastion-baby?"

"Yes... very much so," he answered, eyes closed in bliss.

"Well don't forget to wash your hair," she replied, smirking.

He took the bottle of his favorite shampoo and did as she reminded him. "Better?" he asked as he finished up.

She laughed. "We'll see when you get out here. The shower curtain is kind of blocking my view, if you'll remember."

He slowly stepped out from behind the curtain and turned around slowly to let her look at him. "Well?"

She blushed, clearing her throat and looking away. "Uh... you look, well..." Her already red face darkened; it had been a while since she'd seen this much of him.

Bastion realized. "Oh, darling... I'm sorry..." And he self-consciously grabbed a towel, wrapping it around himself.

Violet sweat-dropped. "It's.. okay, really. It's just, well... been a while, you know?"

"I understand..." He coughed a little bit again. "Perhaps... I should get my pajamas on..."

She nodded and stood. "Come on... I hope that cough isn't a sign you've caught a cold..."

"If I have, that just means I need rest," he said with a smile.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGX

As Bastion and Violet were heading to the dorms, the rest of the gang headed for a nice spot to go cloud watching. "Haven't done this in a long time," Jaden grinned at Jesse. "You ever done that, Jess?"

Jesse grinned back. "Course I have, Jay! We did it all the time back home. Didn't do it much at North Academy, though. Not too many clouds up there..."

"Not to mention freezing," Chazz remarked. "Here it's warm... but nothing beats Domino Park..."

Syrus nodded in agreement. "Zane and I, when we were really young and before he left for training, would go there to play and then cloud watch together."

Axel looked up in the sky. "My dad and I went cloud watching, too... Even when he was training me... Jim... you ever been cloud watching?"

Jim looked up at the fluffy white clouds dotting the sky and shrugged. "Can't say that I have, mate. Shirley and I, we prefer the ground. Especially after the one time we left it." He was referring to their impromptu dive off the cliff.

Adrian grinned. "Well, I'm glad we'll get you into it, then...Think of it as looking at water..."

"At water?" Jim inquired. Shirley growled in a tone that was just as questioning.

"Yeah... Like it's the ocean with a lot of white foam on it," the redheaded boy grinned.

"Well, all right. I guess I'll give it a try."

Annie was smiling as she walked and began to sing. It was a song she'd grown up hearing on mp3 and in the movie, "Cars," called "Life is a Highway."And then she caught Jesse's eye. Jesse grinned again, and sang along with Annie. His Southern accent made it sound close to the original. Annie sang along with him pretty well when they came to the chorus. And when the song came to the line about two people coming to an understanding, the brunette girl grabbed her fiance and sang it to him. Syrus blushed a little, but smiled and took her hand. By the time the song was finished, the group had reached the spot.

"My goodness," Rachel Gecko smiled as they arrived at the grassy area near the Slifer dorms, "you kids are so musical!"

"Ya sing when ya feel good and happy, Rachel," Jesse replied cheerfully.

"I know that... and you two seemed to do really well... Jesse, you sounded very close to the lead for Rascal Flatts..."

"It's the accent," Jaden grinned.

Jesse rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "It is. I get compared to country singers like that a lot..."

"At least you can sing," Axel sighed. He could sing okay, but he knew he wasn't great.

"Hey, anyone can sing," Jesse countered.

"Except for my brother," Alexis stated, brows furrowing. Everyone looked at Atticus. And everyone who had heard him sing sweat-dropped.

Atticus scoffed and pouted, crossing his arms over his chest in an indignant fashion. "I can sing! And I'll prove it-"

"DON'T!!" yelled those who had heard him before.

"Bro... uh," Chazz said, not wanting to hurt his brother, but at the same token wanting to be honest with him, "you... need training..."

Atticus looked obviously offended, and everyone expected denial to come out of his mouth. So they were shocked when his head dropped and he quite clearly sweat-dropped; one could practically see the tiny, blue "bad vibe" symbols used in manga and anime surrounding him. "I know..."

"Bro... oh dang it," Chazz groaned. "We didn't mean to make you feel bad..."

Alexis sighed and patted her older brother on the back. "If you get some training, I'm sure you're singing could become... tolerable," she tried, smiling sheepishly.

Atticus looked at his two siblings like a child who had just been promised a puppy. "You guys really think so? I love singing!"

"Yeah, Atticus... I think you might have potential," Annie said thoughtfully, remembering the instances she'd heard him sing. "You just need to figure out your pitch and tone... Your breathing seems okay..."

"Pitch and tone??" Atticus asked, confused.

Annie sighed patiently. "This is going to take a while. Atticus, do you ever sing along with the radio?"

"Of course!" Atticus answered eagerly.

"Yes, unfortunately," Alexis answered at the same instance, Atticus sweat-dropping and Alexis rolling her eyes.

"Do you notice if you sound different than the radio voice?" Annie asked curiously.

"Yeah. But they're supposed to sound different, right?" the would-be singing idol asked.

"Well," Annie explained, "if you're singing with the radio, you should try to sing the same notes."

"There are notes?!" he responded, bewildered.

Alexis sighed. "He never had a singing lesson in his life, Annie..."

"Okay... Atticus... you're going to need music lessons... Do you have sheet music for your ukulele?" Annie asked.

"Yeah, but... I don't use it too much," he answered.

"Well, we'll start with that." And so Annie began the painstaking process of explaining how singing has notes just like musical instruments.

"Are you serious??" Atticus asked halfway through, shocked. He'd had no idea.

She nodded. "Yeah. Think of your voice as a musical instrument."

"Ooh.... okay!" he stated, comprehending.

"So when you're learning to play that instrument, you need to use it properly..." And so Annie patiently explained the basics of singing to Atticus.

Meanwhile, the group began to find places on the ground to stretch out. "Echo... remember when we did this when you were little before Adrian came and when Dad was out of town?" Rachel asked.

Echo nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I remember... You'd make me take time out to relax and go cloud gazing in the backyard..."

"That was one of the times I adored being a mother.... I still do," she smiled.

"It's been a long time since all four of us went cloud-watching," Echo stated, sighing.

"Yeah," Adrian smiled, getting comfortable next to her. "This is nice... What do you think, Sid?"

"I think I see a bunny!" the little boy answered, grinning and pointing at a cloud.

"Hmmm... I think I see... a fish!" Rachel added.

"Well, I know I see a train," Echo stated, smiling.

Jaden, stretched out between Alexis and Jesse, grinned. "I see a Winged Kuriboh, Yubel, Yugi's hair... Tyson's hair... A dinosaur... Sagi, the dark clown..."

Alexis chuckled. "Jaden, slow down... Hm... oh! I see a tutu."

"I see Ruby!" Jesse exclaimed, grinning happily. Ruby Carbuncle appeared and cuddled next to her master.

"Jim, what do you see?" Axel asked.

"Well, they just look like clouds to me, mate," Jim admitted, Shirley by his side.

"You don't see patterns?" Axel persisted.

"Patterns?" the Australian teen asked, looking over at his friend.

Axel pointed up at one particular cloud. "Yeah, like shapes or something. See that one cloud that has a trail behind it? I think it looks like Shirley!" he said, patting the large crocodile on the snout.

Jim looked at his reptilian friend, then up at the cloud Axel was pointing at. He squinted, trying to see it. "I… I think I _ do _see Shirley..." He didn't really and Axel could tell.

"Just relax... try and let go of that part of you that says they're just clouds. Heck, I'm used to thinking in terms of what these clouds mean for weather patterns so I know where to hide if I have to," Axel explained, knowing what it was like to think of strategy and not use your imagination regarding nature.

"Er.. all right..." Jim tried to forget the fact they were clouds, and tried to picture them as shapes. "That... does sort of look like Shirley..."

"How about that one?" Axel asked, pointing to a cloud that looked square on the bottom and puffy on the top.

"It looks like a muffin," Jim answered, seeming to finally get it.

"Yeah... or one of Mom's popovers," the African-American grinned. "There's no wrong answer to this."

"Oh, great," Chazz groaned from his spot by his brother.

"What, bro?" Atticus asked, glancing over at him.

"I see... the Ojamas," the younger boy sighed.

"It's 'cause you love us, boss!" Ojama Yellow smiled, appearing with his brothers. Chazz sighed, but for once, didn't correct the yellow creature.

Atty grinned and pointed at a formation that stuck out all over the place. "Well, that one kinda look like your hair, Chazz!"

"And that one looks like the collar on your Partridge Family outfit!" Chazz grinned, pointing at another cloud.

Atticus turned to stare at his little brother. "Uh... who?!"

Nearly everyone in the group was looking at Chazz in the same confused way. "Annie? Little help?" he asked.

She sighed, mentally regretting that she'd won about 100 school TV trivia games in the past three years. "It was a fictional TV family that became famous singers and it was a really popular in the 1970s. One of the stars ended up on one of those washed-up celebrity reality shows on HBO..."

"Chazz, then how did you know about them?" Atticus asked, confused.

"I watched one of those networks that airs really old TV shows when I was little... I didn't just watch inappropriate anime, you know..."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?! So I accidentally stumbled across some of those as a kid; doesn't everyone??"

"Geez, I'm just saying that I didn't watch everything those two idiots that raised me made me watch or didn't care if I watched!"

"Oh. Uh... I thought you were making another jab at me there, bro," Atticus mumbled, chagrined.

Chazz groaned, sitting up. "No, big bro... I wasn't," he answered in a somewhat quiet voice.

Atticus sat up as well and put an arm around him. "It's okay, little bro..."

Chazz gingerly hugged back, being careful of his brother's still-sensitive body. "I'm sorry..."

"Like I said, it's all right. Don't worry about it," the older brother soothed.

As the brothers patched things up, Blair pointed up at the sky. "I see a toy soldier like what's in your dad's deck..."

Marcel smiled beside her. "I see it! And look, that kind of looks like your Maiden in Love's dress," he replied, pointing.

"And I see... a baguette," Professor Bonaparte added, holding his son's hand. He had, in the past couple of days, since Antoinette had announced that she wanted to give her husband full custody, been working to keep Marcel feeling happy.

Marcel's smile broadened a bit. "And I see the cheese to go with it, Papa."

"Brie or Swiss?" the father asked, chuckling.

"Swiss! See? It even has the holes!" Marcel answered, pointing.

Mindy and Jasmine too looked up at the clouds. "What do you see, Mindy?"

"Hmmm... I see Red Archery Girl! What about you?"

"Cyber Harpy!" And so, the group continued to watch the clouds, enjoying a long moment of peace.

_Well, we actually had a chapter with some good, non-romantic fluff. We hope you enjoyed it! Anyway, next time, please join us for "Patience." Until next time, then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you very much!_


	47. Patience

Chapter XLVII: Patience

_**Bastion walks out onto the stage, looking a bit unnerved.**__ Hello again, everyone and welcome back to __**Darkness Falls.**__ Peach and Ani asked me to do the introduction on my own as it seems my part for this chapter is relatively… __**Bastion looks at the script and his eyes widen.**__ You have got to be kidding me… Why me? Seriously? __**He looks at the co-authors, upset.**_

_**Peach sighs. **__Sorry, Bastion. Don't worry, you'll survive this. We promise!_

_**Ani is bawling into her pillow off-stage.**__ I'd never let Peach write you dying, Bastion!! NEVER!!!!_

_**Peach grins sheepishly.**__ I wouldn't kill you off, Bastion. I only like killing off bad guys. That's why Joey's dad, Adrian's... not exactly dad, and Gozaburo Kaiba are killed off onscreen when I control the author's pen. Bastion relaxes, but tenses again. But you...!_

_**Ani runs over at the same time as Violet, meaning to reassure Bastion further. Instead, they crash into each other and sprawl across the stage, unconscious. **__**Bastion groans softly, moving to help them both up. **__Oh goodness... It's just... I'm in a... _

_**Peach looks at him. **__Bastion... Do NOT give away the plot!_

_**Alexis pokes her head out from backstage.**__ Bastion, look what they've put the rest of us through! If they didn't kill US, they won't kill YOU!! Okay?!_

_**Bastion groans.**__ But the writers of the canon universe... Look what they did to me! And they reduced you to Daphne Blake! You became a bloody Scooby Doo character!_

_Bastion, is this canon? __**Alexis asks bluntly.**_

_**Bastion shakes his head.**__ No, fortunately, or I'd be a certain Duel Monster woman's boy toy..._

_NOT ON MY WATCH!!! __**Both Ani and Violet shout at once.**_

_**Bastion sighs again.**__ You might see why I'm apprehensive... Anyway, Peach and Ani wish to thank you, dear readers for your continual support. So now... the summary of the previous chapter... Last time, while Violet and I enjoyed getting out of the infirmary and the fans saw my bum again, the rest of our friends went and enjoyed watching the clouds. Is that about right?_

_**Ani and Violet blush at the thought of Bastion's bum.**__**Ani however, manages to answer,**__ Yup._

_**Bastion nods.**__ Thank you, Ani. And now the disclaimer... Jaden, could you do this? Your dad's the lawyer! _

_**Jaden groans, coming onstage.**__ Okay, okay! As usual we have to do the boring legal stuff. Peach and Ani don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. They just own their version of the Yugiverse, their OCs, maybe a couple of DVDs, a collection of cards and... I think that's it. But don't sue 'em..._

_**Ani**__: You won't get much. I have about... six dollars to my name._

_**Peach sighs.**__ I don't have much either... Anyway... uh... Enjoy the show folks! _

_**Bastion asks,**__ Are you sure I'm not going to..? _

_**Everyone**__: YES! YOU'LL BE FINE!!!_

Back at the Obelisk dorm, Bastion tiredly got his pajamas on. He felt sleepy all of a sudden and just wanted to rest. "Thank you for keeping an eye on me, love," he said, fumbling with the buttons on his grey silk pajamas.

Violet giggled softly, helping him with the buttons. "No thanks needed, Bastion-baby. I'm glad I can help you."

He coughed again, slightly. "I think... I've done more today than I've done in the past three weeks... I'm a bit tired..." He didn't want to worry her, but he didn't want to lie either.

She nodded. "Well, go ahead and take a nap." And then she stifled a yawn. "I think... I might join you, too."

"You've been pushing, too... And you're just improving... Perhaps a nap would be a good idea for us both," he sighed, lying down on the fresh white sheets.

"Well, when you put it that way... a nap sounds very nice," she replied, climbing in after him. Violet snuggled against his side, eyes already closed. Unfortunately for Bastion, his tiredness and the cough were indicators of a bigger problem. As he fell asleep, fluid began to gather in his lungs. Violet slept by his side, just as unknowing as he was, simply tired because of how hard her body was working to heal itself.

GXGXGXGXGXGX

A short time later, Annie and Syrus arrived back at their dorm room, content and feeling a lot better. "What an afternoon! I feel so relaxed," Annie stated, wincing when her smile stretched the still healing cheek. "I feel better than I've felt in a while..."

Syrus nodded in agreement, grinning. "That was really relaxing. It was the perfect thing to let us unwind after all that's happened."

"Yeah... so the wedding has to wait... graduation has waited, and we'll do fine," she stated. And then she caught sight of Bastion and Violet's bedroom door. "Hmmm... their door's open... They must've been tired..."

"Should we check on them? They're both still recovering," he asked, following her gaze.

"Yeah, probably a good idea," she murmured back, heading to a cabinet in their bathroom and grabbing a medical kit which contained a thermometer. They headed to Bastion and Violet's room to find the couple sound asleep, but something told Annie to check their temperatures. "Violet...Violet!" the dark-haired girl gasped when she activated the ear thermometer and saw the readout. "Wake up! You have a fever..."

Violet groaned, turning away from Annie. "J-Just... five more minutes, Mom," she mumbled, sweat beading her brow.

Syrus frowned, standing beside Annie. "Annie... Bastion doesn't look good either..."

Annie checked. "Oh no... Bastion... c'mon, man, wake up!" But the Ra genius wasn't waking. "Violet, c'mon... you need to wake up; it's an emergency!" she stated urgently. Bastion was pale and sweaty, and Annie's instincts told her that something was wrong.

"Annie, should I call Miss Fontaine?!" Syrus asked, pulling out his PDA as Violet shivered.

She opened her eyes, which were clouded by the fever, and let out another groan. She had a killer headache, and was aching all over from the fever. "Annie... w-what..?"

"Call her, Sy... I have a bad feeling about this... Violet... what else hurts?" the would-be doctor asked, propping her friend up on the pillows and going into diagnosis mode.

As Syrus called Miss Fontaine and explained what had happened, Violet took a minute to fully register her best friend's question. "Everything... a-and, Annie..." She took a moment to give a wheezy cough, hugging herself from chills. "Since... since when did you have... four eyes?"

Annie checked her over, eyes widening in even more concern with her friend's last query. "Since never... Violet, I'm going to have Sy get you some water, okay?"

"O-Okay," Violet muttered, wincing at the pain that seemed to affect her body everywhere at once.

Syrus had just finished talking with Miss Fontaine. "She's on her way, Annie. I'll go get that water," he stated, quickly leaving the bedroom.

And then Annie moved to check Bastion a little more thoroughly. She couldn't move him easily, so she listened in the quiet of the room to his breathing. "His breathing sounds a little rough... Bastion, come on... wake up..."

"What... what's wrong with Bastion?" Violet asked, looking over at him and sniffling from her runny, stuffy nose.

"I don't know... And that worries me," Annie answered, brows knitting together in concentration.

Finally, Bastion's eyes opened, blearily. "Where... huh?"

"Bastion, are you okay?" Violet asked as Syrus returned. She gladly took a sip of the water, only to grimace and grab her neck. "A-Agh... owww," she groaned.

"Just lie back and let the pillows do the work," Annie stated calmly.

Bastion blinked, confused. "Violet... the room is..." And then he started coughing, harder this time. "...Spinning," he finished.

Violet sighed as she lay back down, though the action was followed by more coughing. "R-Really..? It… it just looks... green to me," she wheezed, closing her eyes as her head throbbed.

Syrus exchanged a worried glance with his fiancée. "Annie..."

Miss Fontaine arrived quickly and Annie told the symptoms. "Oh, dear... Violet, I have to look up your nose, honey..."

Violet sniffed, looking wearily up at the nurse. "My… my nose??"

"Yeah, I think you might have a nasty nasal infection."

Violet shivered from her chills and nodded. "O-Okay, then," she muttered, eyes closed tightly from the pain in her head.

Miss Fontaine made the examination and sighed. "Violet, good news... You just need a course of antibiotics to set you right, okay?"

Violet nodded, grimacing when her neck complained in pain. "What... what about Bastion?" she asked, wiping some sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.

"I'm going to take a look... Annie, help me sit him up, will you?"

"Of course," the girl answered, helping Bastion into a sitting position.

He shivered when the nurse checked him with a stethoscope, and let her look down his throat. "Bastion... we have to watch you for a bit, okay?" the nurse explained patiently.

"Okay," he said sleepily, lying back down.

"I'll have Don and Belowski bring up some soup for both of you," the nurse soothed.

"Soup? Will that hurt?" Violet asked, referring to her sore throat. Her throat felt like it was on fire and to eat anything with solid food in it would be excruciating.

"Not chicken broth," the nurse answered, already experienced in knowing what would soothe a sore throat and nourish a sick body. She pulled some medication from her medical bag and gave it to Violet. "Just let yourself relax... This should bring down your fever too..."

"All right..." Violet sighed, easing into the pillows again and closing her eyes.

"Miss Fontaine, are they going to be okay?" Syrus asked worriedly. His silvery eyes drifted over his two sick friends. Their skin was very pale and perspiration beaded their foreheads due to the heat that came from their bodies.

Fonda sighed softly in concern. "I think Violet's going to be okay, but we have to watch Bastion carefully. His chest sounded really congested..."

"So then... what should we do?"

"I'll stay here tonight, and if you kids are willing to stay up, that'd be nice too."

"I can stay up, Miss Fontaine," Annie offered. "But I can't speak for my fiancé."

"I can stay up and help too," Syrus asserted.

"Okay, then..." The nurse had the future Mr. and Mrs. Truesdale head out of the room and sat next to the sick couple. _This is going to be a long night,_ she thought.

Annie sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time in an hour as she and Syrus sat down together on the couch. She massaged her forehead with her hands and then set her hands in her lap. "We may need to call Jay, Alexis, Tyson and Rosa... the wedding's going to be pushed back further," she stated sadly.

Syrus took her hand, squeezing it a little. "Don't worry, Annie... Even if it has to be pushed back, we'll still have it."

"Yeah... Again... fortunately, we have in-house stuff here... we don't have to keep cancelling with caterers."

"Yeah. And once they're feeling well again, we'll have the wedding and finally get married," the young man smiled, thinking of that coming day.

"Yeah," Annie smiled happily. But she sobered again as she dialed her PDA. "Hello, Alexis?"

"Hey, Annie. What's up?" Alexis greeted, sitting with Jaden in their dorm.

"You guys need to come up to Obelisk... We've got another problem," the brunette Obelisk girl explained quickly.

"What? Not again," Alexis groaned. She was getting tired of problems.

Jaden's head flew up from his video game system. "Babe? Do I have to save the world again?" He didn't look thrilled at the prospect.

Alexis shook her head. "I don't think so, Jay. Annie says we need to go up to Obelisk..."

"Oh, okay... what's up?" he asked.

Alexis asked the same question and Annie filled her in. "...So we need to figure our next move," she explained quickly, glancing back toward Bastion and Violet's room.

"Great..." Alexis repeated what Annie had told her to Jaden. "We'll be up there in a few minutes, Annie..."

"Thanks, Alexis! Bye!" Annie hung up and called Tyson and Rosa's room.

Tyson picked up. "Hey, Private Annie!"

"Hey, Tyson..." She told him what she'd told Alexis, and he sighed wearily.

"We'll be right up!" He hung up and looked at Rosa. "Darlin', up for a walk to Annie and Sy's?"

Rosa blinked in surprise. "Sure. But why? Did something happen?" she asked, frowning.

Tyson sighed partly in worry and partly in frustration. "It sounds like Bastion and Violet are sick again... So we kinda need to be ready for another delay..."

Rosa sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Dios mio... I don't mind the delay; I just wish we could finally have peace."

Tyson sighed. "Me too, darlin'... me too..." And so they headed up to the room. When Jaden and Alexis arrived, the three healthy couples sat down in the living room area.

"Back here again," Jaden sighed, smiling a little, and then sobering. "How are they?"

"Sleeping," Annie explained. "Miss Fontaine's going to head out for a bit and be back with her pajamas. She's staying the night with us..."

"Do you guys want some help? I wouldn't mind staying up with them so that you could get some sleep," Alexis offered.

Annie thought a minute. She knew it was probably a good idea, but part of her hesitated. She couldn't figure out why, so she questioned her fiancé. "Sy, what do you think?"

Syrus shrugged. "Extra help would mean that all of us could get more sleep," he answered wisely.

"Okay, then... Just bring up some pajamas and we'll fix additional beds out here," Annie offered. "Is that all right?" Everyone nodded.

"And if whoever's on watch dozes off, I'll be sure to wake them up. I don't need to sleep, after all," Mary stated warningly as she appeared, sitting on the arm of the couch.

Jaden, leaning on the other arm of the couch, fell over, startled at the spirit girl's sudden appearance. "Dang it, Mary! You snuck up on us!"

Mary snickered, grinning deviously. "Of course! I gotta have fun when I can get it, and surprising you people is a lot of fun."

Alexis sighed and sweat-dropped. "Just don't do that at our wedding..." She could clearly picture Jaden falling back onto the red carpet because the spirit had surprised him.

"Yeah, it'll be crazy enough as it is," Tyson stated. "Between all our families it's gonna be one crazy party..."

"Don't worry, I won't! But I will enjoy scaring Bobby senseless," Mary soothed, her grin turning mischievous. She was definitely a part of Violet.

"Goodness, I hope all of the chicos don't try to pull any pranks," Rosa muttered, realizing how many guys would be there.

"Wait until they meet my cousin Rei," Jaden groaned softly. "She knows how to prank as well as I do. Uncle Jun and Aunt Himeko don't know how she does what she does, but she does it..."

"Do we even want to know?" Tyson wondered aloud with a little dread in his tone.

"Well, Zane and Annie's brother probably won't cause any problems," Syrus said, sweat-dropping.

"But Atticus probably will. He might even drag Chazz into it," Alexis said through a sigh.

"Mis hermanos can be very mischievous, especially at parties like this," Rosa added, grinning sheepishly.

"Bobby might get one prank in... but after Violet and I beat on him for it, he shouldn't be any more trouble. Just... don't give Haylee sugar," Mary asserted, grimacing.

Annie pulled a notepad from her skirt pocket and a pen. "Hmmm... limit sugar until after the reception... Okay... OH! I just realized something! Bastion's supposed to give the valedictorian's speech and I'm the salutatorian... Jaden, you're the best duelist and you're already scheduled to give a speech... we need to talk to Chancellor Shepherd if Bastion's not up to it in a couple of days..."

"Huh?"

"Sarge... you gotta give your speech, like it or not," Tyson grinned.

Alexis smirked. "It shouldn't be too hard, Jay. You've given speeches before... just not in front of so many people."

"Yeah... but this is... not what I'm used to," he groaned, looking terrified. "I have to... write it out!"

Everyone in the room sweat-dropped. "Why not just have someone else write it out for you?" Mary asked.

"I have to do it myself... I can have help, but I can't have a total speechwriter and teleprompter," he sighed.

"Well, we'll help you, Jay. Right, guys?" Syrus asked, smiling.

"Right," the others said at once. They launched into different suggestions to help Jaden, and he wrote a few down. _This is going to be a long evening,_ he told himself.

HOWCANYOULEAVE

And so the evening wore on. The two couples ran back to their dorms and got their supplies while Annie and Sy fixed their guests' beds. Professor Sartyr and Belowski brought dinner up to the dorm and joined the small group for dinner. They left later and soon the group settled in for the night. "We'll take the first shift," Jaden offered.

"Okay," Annie said gratefully. She was feeling worn out, the stress of the past few weeks wearing on her more than she chose to acknowledge. So she and Syrus went to lie down in their room at 8 o' clock, while Jaden and Alexis headed into Violet and Bastion's room. The sick couple was sleeping deeply now, thanks to their medicine.

"We're on 'til midnight, right?" Jaden asked his fiancée for confirmation.

Alexis nodded. "Yeah, and then we wake up Annie and Syrus," she added, sitting down with a sigh.

Jaden sighed, watching Bastion and Violet. "I thought after we stopped Darkness, things would be easier... I guess... we're still not immortal..."

"No matter how hard you try, you can always get sick, Jay... All we can do is help them get better soon," Alexis replied.

"Yeah..." And then he picked up a legal pad of paper and a pen. "I'll work on my speech while I'm in here. Want to help?"

She smiled. "Sure."

"Okay, how does this sound? 'My fellow students, faculty, honored guests...' And that's it..." He flushed, embarrassed that he hadn't gotten further with it.

Alexis barely stopped herself from face-palming, but did sweat-drop. "Uh, Jay... That's a bit formal for a start... It doesn't sound like you at all."

He laughed a little, sweat-dropping at this. "Yeah... I was reading up on speeches for formal occasions and I wanted to do it right... But it doesn't seem right..."

She smiled and placed a hand on his arm. "Jaden, just relax and write it how you would usually say it... It doesn't need to be formal; leave that to Bastion and Annie. Since it's you... it's not the same."

"Okay..." And then he started to crack up, as quietly as possible, however. "Lex... 'My fellow Americans,'" he whispered, chuckling. "I'm never running for President..."

She smirked and laughed a bit herself. "Even though I think you'd make a great president, Jay... I think you should stick to dueling."

"Yeah, good idea."

Miss Fontaine returned to the room, and Jaden and Alexis worked on his speech. At midnight, they called Annie and Sy into the room and went to bed. "Okay, Annie, what's the first thing you need to do?" Miss Fontaine asked as Annie sat down at Bastion's side of the bed.

"Examine the patients' immediate health and determine if further measures are necessary," the teen girl stated clinically like a medical student would.

"Good girl. What else?"

"Check the patients' charts and determine what their status has been..." With Miss Fontaine's help, Annie examined the information the nurse had catalogued on her friends and then examined them both. "Violet's fever is down but Bastion's has remained steady. The acetaminophen has had limited effect on his fever and his breathing still seems rough."

"And he hasn't coughed up anything... If he starts coughing up anything, especially if it's rust-colored or blood-tinged, what could that mean, Annie?"

"Possible lung infection, and that could indicate pneumonia..."

"Good girl," the nurse praised again.

Syrus's eyes were wide. "Wow, Annie... You're going to be a great doctor even before you take classes..."

Annie blushed. "I do a lot of reading, honey. So I've learned a lot..."

"You do have good abilities already, Annie... And we're going to hone them," Fonda smiled. "You're going to be in for a lot of training..."

"How long is it going to take for Annie to be able to become a real doctor, Miss Fontaine?" Syrus asked.

"Depends on what field she wants to be in. Annie, what do you want to be?"

"I think I want to be a family doctor or a pediatrician..."

"Hmmm... If she's quick about it, Annie could be practicing on her own in about 10 years..."

Syrus's jaw dropped. "10 years?!"

"Yes. She has to get her BA, then go through four years of medical school and then her internship," the nurse explained.

He sweat-dropped, amazed that it took that long. "That's a long time, Annie."

Annie nodded. "But it'll be worth it... And I can always switch and be an RN like Miss Fontaine. There's always a good demand for nurses..."

Syrus smiled. "Well, whatever you want to do, Annie... I'll support you."

"And I'll support you in whatever you want, honey," she smiled back.

Miss Fontaine was smiling too. "You kids will have it great... and I know I will..." She hadn't announced this to everyone, but she was too excited to keep it quiet.

The couple looked at the teacher questioningly. "Miss Fontaine? What is it?"

"Well... Professor Sartyr and I... are engaged..." One might've heard the proverbial pin drop in the room now. Syrus's jaw was dropped, eyes wide at her words. Half of him was too shocked to do anything, and half of him wanted to shout with joy and congratulate his teacher.

"When... when did this happen?" Annie asked.

"The next day after Darkness was stopped..."

THEWORLDNEEDSLOVE

_Fonda had been cleaning up her office alcove that sunny afternoon when Don and Belowski had come to see her. "Hi, Miss Fontaine!" the boy said cheerfully, carrying a big bouquet of thornless pink roses. _

_"Well, hello, Belowski! Hi, Don!" _

_Don appeared to be nervous, though at the moment the reason was unknown. "Hello, Fonda. We're not... disturbing you, are we?"_

_"Oh, no... not at all. Everyone's napping," she answered, gesturing at the closed cubicles. "The other kids are out... I had to make Tyson leave for a couple of hours just to get a shower and take a nap..."_

_Belowski tiptoed around. "Everybody's asleep?" he asked for confirmation. _

_She nodded, smiling. "Atticus and Chazz are doped up on their medication and the others are doped up on full tummies and cold medication."_

_Don smiled. "Then we'll have to be quiet. Belowski, if you would be so kind," he said, gesturing to Fonda. _

_Belowski handed her the flowers with a smile. "These are for you, from both of us..."_

_She smelled them, smiling more. "What's the occasion?"_

_Don fidgeted momentarily, getting over his nerves. He then stepped forward and took Fonda's free hand, getting down on one knee. "Fonda... I found myself falling for you since that first injury you sewed up. Not simply because of your beauty, but also because of your cheerful, independent, and caring personality. You are the best nurse a school could ask for, as well as the best friend and girlfriend any man could ever want. But, I'd like to take our love a step further, if you'll let me. Fonda..." Don paused at this, reaching into his pocket to pull out a small black box. It opened to reveal a diamond flanked by sapphires and set in a sparkling gold band. "Will you marry me?"_

_Fonda Elizabeth Fontaine was speechless for a long moment, shocked into silence. But her eyes shone with absolute happiness. She managed to nod, happy tears in her eyes. During that long moment, Don felt like his heart might stop from beating so fast. So when she finally answered him, his heart swelled with joy and he stood. With a giddy grin, Don wrapped his arms around her and swung her in a circle before setting her back down. But he kept his arms around her, happier than he had ever been in his life. "Oh, Fonda, I love you so much..."_

_"I love you," she murmured back when she could speak. And another pair of arms joined the hug. _

_"This means I'll have a real family!" Belowski said happily. _

_Don smiled using his free hand to ruffle Belowski's hair. "We'd be happy to be your family, Belowski. What do you think, Fonda?"_

_Fonda nodded. "I think we can do that... And make it legal..."_

_"Well, before we do anything..." Don gently lifted up Fonda's hand, slipping the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit. "There. Now it's official..."_

_"Yes it is... and we'll have a little boy of our own," Fonda smiled, ruffling Belowski's mop of hair._

_He grinned in his typical sheepish manner. "A real mom and dad," he murmured._

_"And perhaps even a few brothers and sisters, if that's all right with Fonda," Don added, grinning at her. Fonda couldn't help but blush at that. _

LOVESWEETLOVE

"And so, that's what happened. We're going to get a justice of the peace to marry us as soon as possible," she explained in the present. "And then we can start the adoption proceedings for Belowski. No one ever found his parents or any relatives and Kaiba Corp made every effort along with the Domino PD and the FBI, but it's like his family disappeared off the face of the earth."

"Well, I'm so happy for you!" Annie whispered, hugging her mentor. "And you'll be a great mom!"

Syrus grinned and joined the hug. "This is great, Miss Fontaine! Congratulations!" he whispered.

"Thank you, both of you," the nurse smiled. "One of the advantages of Belowski being a student here is that we have a home here... and we'll have a nice apartment in Domino in the summer... but not this year, not yet... Well, we can keep talking. All-nighters are tough..."

GXGXGXGXGXGX

The young couple was about to find out how tough all-nighters can be. At 2 AM, Bastion began coughing very hard. "Bastion?" Annie asked, helping him to sit up so he could breathe. And then he coughed up something... It was thick, viscous and… Annie's face went white at the sight of its color. "Miss Fontaine..."

"Get some gloves on, Annie! Hurry!" the nurse commanded, snapping on her own. Annie did as the nurse said, knowing that such protocols might just save her life some day. For Bastion was coughing up what looked like blood.

"Sy, get Violet awake!" Annie stated as calmly as she could, still white to the lips.

Syrus was as pale as Annie, having seen the bloody gunk. He quickly started shaking Violet, as gently as he could. "Violet! Wake up! It's an emergency!"

Violet groaned and coughed herself, though hers was far different from Bastion's. It was a normal cough to get rid of the congestion in her chest. She opened her eyes halfway, pulling in a ragged breath. "W-What...?"

"Bastion! Bastion, it's going to be okay," Annie was saying, pulling the now-soiled blanket off of him and Violet. "We're going to take you to the infirmary... It looks like you're coughing up bloody sputum and we have to see what's going on..."

"Syrus," Miss Fontaine added, "Go out to the living room and get the others awake. We need a strong pair of arms to carry Bastion's stretcher."

Syrus nodded and quickly ran out of the room, into the sitting room where the others were sleeping. "GUYS!! Wake up! It's an emergency!!" he shouted.

Meanwhile, Violet stared in pure confusion at the nurse and future medical student. "Annie? What's wrong?" she mumbled, placing a hand to her head. She still had the same painful throbbing in her skull as before.

Miss Fontaine took over with Bastion while Annie snapped off her gloves, moving to her other patient. "Violet, Bastion is coughing up what looks like blood and we need to get him to the infirmary," she said quickly. "The fact that he's coughing it up like that means he could have a very bad lung infection."

The only words Violet heard were "Bastion coughing blood", "infirmary", and "very bad lung infection". Her eyes snapped wide and she sat up, only to give a loud groan and drop back down. That hadn't helped her head or her aching muscles. "He's w-what?!"

Annie held her friend close. "Bastion is coughing up what looks like blood and we think he has a lung infection," she repeated slowly. "We have to get him to the infirmary to see what's going on."

"I'm-" Violet was forced to pause for another lung-shaking cough. "-I'm coming t-too!" she asserted weakly.

"We'll put you in the wheelchair," Annie stated as the other four teens along with Sy came running into the bedroom.

"Oh, man!" Jaden yelped, seeing Bastion with blood on his pajamas.

"Sam Hill, what's..?!" Tyson also yelped.

"Boys, run to the emergency closet in the hall and get the stretcher," Fonda commanded. "This is an emergency and we need to act quickly." Everyone snapped to attention.

"How can we help?" Alexis asked, referring to herself and Rosa.

"Get the clothes hamper, Alexis... Rosa? Think you're up to lifting the stretcher?"

Alexis went to get the requested object, and Rosa nodded. "I can do that." She had gained most of her strength back.

"Okay. Good." The nurse stripped Bastion's bloody-sputum coated top off of him and got Annie to grab a clean, dry top. As soon as the boys returned, Annie helped Violet into the wheelchair covering her up with a warm blanket while Miss Fontaine, Jaden and Tyson lifted a barely aware Bastion onto the stretcher. Tyson and Rosa together lifted the teen on the stretcher, and the small group quickly jogged to the infirmary.

"How's…Bastion...doing?" Violet asked Annie wearily, eyes closed.

Annie looked up at Miss Fontaine as they moved. "He's stable at the moment," she answered. "Violet, I'm getting you into a bed and then I have to help Miss Fontaine a minute, all right?"

Violet nodded slightly, too tired and pained to bother arguing, even if she'd wanted to. A bed sounded very nice. "Okay..."

Annie gently got Violet into a bed and raced down to the X-ray room. "Annie, ordinarily I wouldn't have you help me, but I need to do this quickly and efficiently," Miss Fontaine explained, knowing time was of the essence.

"Okay, just tell me what to do..." Together they got Bastion up onto an X-ray table, readied him and started taking pictures of his chest.

When they were done, the nurse helped the young student get the patient to the intensive care room in the infirmary. "I'll know what to do in a minute," Miss Fontaine stated, heading back to get the X-rays developed.

Annie sighed, sitting down next to her surrogate brother. He had drifted back into a deep sleep, though his brow was furrowed in pain. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Annie..?" It was Violet, leaning on one side of the doorway. She had seen them take Bastion into the intensive care room and worriedly gotten out of bed. Violet frowned worriedly, both at her sleeping fiancé and her awake best friend. "What... are you sorry for?"

Annie looked up, startled. "Oh, Violet, you should be in bed! I was saying sorry that he's in pain..." She got up and was thankful that there was a cot in the room and led Violet to it. "Here, lie down..."

But Violet stayed standing, placing her hands on Annie's shoulders. "Annie, you don't need to apologize. You're helping him to get better... And I'm worried about you," she said truthfully before another coughing fit hit her, its force making her head explode with enough pain that she had to lean heavily against her best friend.

"Violet... c'mon... let's get you into bed. You can stay in here for now," Annie tried, guiding her to the cot next to Bastion's hospital bed. "I just feel bad he's in pain... I know there's not much I can do at the moment but feel bad that he's hurting..."

"I want... to help him," Violet asserted, eyes closed to help minimize the pain in her skull.

"You are," Annie answered, listening to Bastion's breathing pattern. "He's relaxing a little..."

Violet frowned, opening an eye so that she could look over at the love of her life. "Bastion..."

"Mmmmm..." Bastion moaned softly, still very out of it.

"See? He knows you're here," Annie said softly.

Violet managed to smile a little at that. "Good... Is he... going to be okay?"

Annie frowned in concern. "I think so... but it's going to be rough. His immune system seems to have been compromised..."

"What?" Violet asked, way too out of it herself to bother understanding half of that.

Annie sighed, realizing she'd made it too hard for her friend to understand in the middle of the night. "Basically it's like if you had a deck attacked by a Crush Card Virus..."

"Oh... he has a virus?"

"He might," Annie answered, "or it might be bacteria. But my point is that the defense system in his body that should fight stuff off is weaker..."

Violet nodded slightly in understanding. "Can he... get better?"

"Yeah," the would-be doctor answered. "But depending on how severe it is, he may be sick for a while..." She took a deep breath. "It can be three weeks or up to two months..."

"Two months?!" Violet yelped, eyes snapping open.

"Stay calm," Annie said gently, looking over at the prone, pale figure in the bed. "It's possible... but he's young..."

Violet sighed, closing her eyes tightly. "I just want all of this to be over..."

"So do I, Violet... so do I," the other girl sighed sadly. "We should just be getting ready for the wedding and... our honeymoon..." She thought it over. "I mean... this should be the time we're graduating, planning our lives... Enjoying each other's company..."

"We are enjoying each other's company," Violet spoke up.

"Yeah... but I'd be glad if it wasn't in the infirmary," Annie countered gently. "What I meant is we should be healthy..."

"Well... you guys are," Violet reminded, smiling a bit.

"You should be," Annie answered, getting up and getting a cool washcloth for Violet's head. "Here, this should help with the infection."

Violet sighed contentedly at the cool feeling, closing her eyes again. "That's nice... and we will get better..."

"Yeah..."

About 15 minutes later, Miss Fontaine came in with the X-rays, placing them on display. "Okay, Annie... we have to get a sputum culture from him... What do you see on the X-ray?" she asked.

Annie looked intently at the screen. The ghostly image of Bastion's bones and internal organs shone at her in the darkened room. Normally, she would see his ribs, heart, stomach and the upper part of his intestines. However, what she saw made her heart race with fear. "I see what appears to be fluid in the lower lobar regions of both lungs, extending into the middle lobar region of the right lung." She pointed at the lungs and showed what looked like little white branches, forcing herself into clinical mode. "It appears to be spreading..."

Violet was forcing her body to stay awake, wanting to know what was wrong with her fiancé. "Is that... bad?" she asked.

"Violet... his lungs are filling up with fluid and that affects how he breathes," Annie explained. "And that puts him in danger." She knew this would scare Violet, but she didn't dare sugarcoat it. "Pneumonia's a common disease, but it can kill you..."

"WHAT?!" That one word made Violet shoot up, body tense and for the moment all aches and pains shoved to the back of her mind.

Miss Fontaine motioned for Annie to move close to the purple-headed girl. "Violet, honey... we can beat it... Bastion has a few factors in his favor... He's young and fairly strong."

One hand dug its fingers into the sheets, while the other held tightly to Violet's head. "No... I can't lose him... Not after all this... I can't," she moaned, feeling like she could cry.

Annie held her friend tightly in a hug. "Violet, let me tell you what I know... We have to determine what kind of pneumonia he has using a sputum test... That's the stuff he coughs up. We can determine if it's a virus or a bacterial strain and then we'll figure how to fight it."

Violet closed her eyes tightly, clinging to her friend for much-needed support. "Annie... you can't let him die... please..."

"We'll fight it as hard as we can... Miss Fontaine..."

"I'm calling out to Domino and they'll send specialists and Bastion's parents have to come. They're his closest relatives and have say on treatment," the nurse stated.

Annie kept Violet close. "They won't shut you out... you're going to be his wife..."

"I just want him to be okay," Violet murmured in reply, the pain and exhaustion beginning to creep back into her consciousness.

Annie sensed it... "Violet... just rest now. We'll get a test started and it'll take a few hours..."

Violet frowned, but knew that she didn't have the energy to hold sleep off anymore. "Okay..."

The brunette girl helped lay her friend down on the cot and covered her with a blanket. "It's going to be okay somehow, Violet... I'll fight alongside him as hard as I can," Annie promised.

"Okay, Annie... just relax yourself... You haven't even started pre-med," Fonda reminded her. "Go out to the rest of them... your friends and fiancé will want to know what's going on..."

Annie nodded, and reluctantly headed out to the waiting area. All of them looked up, anxiously awaiting the news. "Annie? So what's wrong with him?" Syrus asked for them all.

"It's... pneumonia... and it's in both his lungs," she moaned, the unshed tears coming.

Syrus stood and went to her, pulling her into a strong hug even though he felt like crying too. "Is it... is it bad?"

"It... depends on the type... It's hitting him so fast," she murmured, holding on.

Jaden held Alexis a little closer, and Tyson did the same with Rosa. "This ain't good," the Texas boy groaned. "Private Annie... Do you know what kind it is?"

"Miss Fontaine's testing for the strain right now... Something must've happened in the World of Darkness..."

"Well, Violet might know... But we can ask her tomorrow after she's gotten rest," Alexis offered, frowning.

"Yeah... but his immune system... if it was weakened there and he was exposed to some bacteria... He could be fighting for his life... This isn't walking pneumonia," Annie managed to say. Her emotional strength was giving out and her physical strength wasn't far behind.

"How long before we will know which type it is?" Rosa asked.

"A couple of hours..." Annie turned pale again.

"Annie?" Syrus asked worriedly.

"I need to sit down," she groaned softly as the adrenaline rushed out of her system.

He quickly helped her to a chair, sitting in the one next to hers. "Are you okay, Annie?"

The others moved around her. "Annie, are you tired?" Jaden wondered. She managed a nod.

"How about we get you to a spare bed so you can rest?" Syrus asked.

Too tired to argue, Annie nodded. Miss Fontaine came out from her lab area and smiled. "She's tired, isn't she?"

Alexis nodded. "Yeah, and I'm not surprised..."

"She's doing pretty good, though... Annie's not even a resident yet!" Jaden grinned, his amazement temporarily overcoming his growing worry.

"A what?" Syrus asked, confused.

"It's a trainee doctor, Sy. It's after they finish their time in medical school," Jaden explained. "And they put in long hours..." He grinned sheepishly. "Mom was working on her residency when I was born..."

"That must have made things a lot harder, then," Alexis stated.

"Mom said it wasn't bad, actually... She had a special baby carrier for me some days," the young man answered. "The hospital accommodated her."

As Jaden explained a little bit about his very early childhood, Sy led Annie to an empty bed. "I... wish I didn't have to sleep," she murmured. "I need to help..."

Syrus sighed, holding her hand. "Annie... you won't be able to help if you're exhausted... You can't push yourself."

Annie sank to the bed, worn out. "I know... I just wish... I could..."

"But you can't... and you can't wear yourself down so much that you get sick too. You've helped a lot already, Annie," Syrus soothed.

"Mmmm..." She was already falling to the world of dreams as she tumbled to the pillow. He simply kept hold of her hand, letting her fall asleep as he brushed a few bangs out of her face.

Miss Fontaine stepped into the cubicle. "She's asleep?"

Syrus nodded. "Yeah... it didn't take long..."

The nurse moved to the bedside, brushing the girl's hair as well. "She's got the makings of a good doctor... but she must remember to take care of herself too..."

He sighed. "She pushes herself too much... and it worries me..."

"That's one thing that can hurt her, Syrus... and I think it's a flaw... She trusts people around her, but she doesn't always let them help, does she?"

"No... she's too worried about everyone else and not worried enough about herself..."

Fonda looked very thoughtful. "Maybe... she needs to take some time... It's okay if she waits... She wants to be a doctor, she can be... but maybe she needs to wait a little bit... Try her wings on other areas... She's so smart... she could do just about anything now that she's healthy. What's another thing she wants to do?"

Syrus frowned. "Not a job... Just that she wants to be a mom..."

Fonda looked thoughtful at that. "Hmmm... Sy, maybe that is a job. Think about how much it takes to be a wife and mother..." She smiled softly in the darkened cubicle. "Find out, though, if there are other things she likes."

He nodded. "Okay, I'll ask her later..."

"Okay... Whatever she wants, help her with the pushing too hard, Syrus. And you remember the same thing, okay?"

"Do I do that too?" he asked, surprised.

Fonda kept that same calm smile on her face. "You're an excellent caregiver, honey, and when it comes to Annie, you push yourself to your limits... And you did it with Jaden when he was missing..."

Syrus frowned, remembering. Back in the second year, when Jaden had temporarily lost his ability to see his Duel Monsters cards, the Slifer had left Duel Academy, been washed back to shore, and then had remained missing for a few days. During that time, Syrus had searched the island every night to the point he'd exhausted himself. "Oh yeah... I guess I do push myself sometimes..."

"Well, just remember to take care of yourself, and help Annie to do the same. Now, why don't you lie down too? I'll wake you both when I know something," the nurse promised.

He nodded. "Okay..." Syrus climbed into the bed beside Annie, wrapping his arms around her to pull her close. Annie, worn out, didn't wake.

Fonda tiptoed out of the cubicle and back down to the lab to check the culture's progress. 'A couple of hours more,' she thought, watching the culture dish in the testing area, 'and we'll know what we're up against...In the meantime, I have to start making phone calls...'

_**Bastion comes back onstage.**__ And so now I am the one in mortal danger, it appears. I'll admit I'm not thrilled with this. But anyhow, what do the co-authors have in mind next? Well, they haven't given me an advance copy of the script yet, so unfortunately I don't know what will happen. So next time, please join us for __**Causation and Correlation.**__ Peach and Ani thank you in advance for reading and for reviewing. _


	48. Causation and Correlation

Chapter XLVIII: Causation and Correlation

_Hello again, dear readers and we welcome you back again to __**Darkness Falls**__. We're glad to see you back with us and so many of you still reading! So rather than give a lengthy recap, we'll go straight to the story!_

_ As usual, we don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise, any other anime or anything else but our version of things, our OCs, and anything that hasn't been established. Thanks!_

_ Medical note: Staph bacteria, also known as Staphylococcus can cause pneumonia. This bacteria comes in a few different forms, some more harmful than others._

About four hours later as the dawn broke over Domino and the Pacific Ocean, a Duel Academy transport helicopter flew toward Academy Island. On board were several worried adults. "Hiro... we should be coming out here for the kids' wedding," Katai Misawa moaned softly in her husband's arms. "Not for Bastion being sick again... Is this going to end?!"

Hiro held his wife close, feeling much the same way. He gently rubbed her back in a soothing gesture as he spoke. "I know, Katai... All we can do is hope it will and be there for our son when he needs us."

"And we're here to fight it at your side," Scout Rhodes added, gesturing to a young-looking Asian man with ebony hair and kind brown eyes.

"I'm glad Nurse Fontaine called out for us at the first," Alex Nakamura stated. "We may be able to get a handle on this quicker, and if it's bad, we may be able to fight it harder..." Nakamura was a pulmonologist that worked at both Domino Children's Hospital and Domino General Hospital. "Depending on what the tests reveal, we may be in for a bit of a fight..."

Hiro sighed. "Thank you, both of you. I'm afraid I can't do much... the eyes are my field, not the lungs."

"But you are a doctor. And you can help Bastion and the other kids. How much of our business is bedside manner?" Scout countered seriously. "We'll keep their spirits up and bolster their bodies..."

Katai sighed. "I can only imagine what this is doing to Violet... She must be so scared..."

Hiro nodded. "You're right, Scout... And we'll help both of them through this, darling," he soothed, taking Katai's hand.

GXGXGXGXGXGX

Meanwhile, at Duel Academy, Fonda Fontaine felt her heart skip a beat as she looked at the test results of Bastion's sputum sample. "Oh, how did he contract this?!" she yelped in horror.

The gang, who was still sitting outside in the infirmary, jumped at the yell. They ran to the lab, worried something had happened. "Miss Fontaine?"

Miss Fontaine looked up to see the worried and sleepy faces of Jaden, Alexis, Tyson, Rosa, Syrus and Annie looking at her. "I'm sorry. I just can't figure out how he contracted this strain..."

Annie understood with the instinct she had been given. She could see the fear in the nurse's face as well. "It's a bad one, isn't it?" she asked.

"It is," the nurse confirmed, clearly concerned.

The group paled. "How bad?" Syrus asked nervously.

"It's a staph-based pneumonia," Miss Fontaine began, guessing she'd have to explain it. However, she didn't have to.

Jaden's eyes bugged, knowing exactly what they might be dealing with. "How did he get that?! He hasn't been in a hospital and he wouldn't have gotten it here... And nobody's had staph infections in the dorm..."

"You guys are forgetting the obvious place," Mary stated, appearing and leaning against the wall. She was surprised they didn't guess it immediately; were they that blind?

"What about the World of Darkness, guys?" Tyson wondered. Everyone exchanged glances at that.

"Bingo. That Dark Ocean had a lot of people floating on it, let me tell you. And lots of things can survive in water," Mary explained. She, unlike Violet, had been conscious during the ordeal.

The teens looked at Violet's spirit counterpart in surprise. "What was it like in there?" Annie asked the spirit girl.

"Hm?" Mary looked at the group in equal surprise, not expecting to be asked that. She straightened, rubbing the back of her neck as she frowned slightly. "Well, there's not much to describe, really. A black sky and an ocean such a dark blue it was nearly black too. People of all kinds floating on it as far as I could see; I couldn't leave Violet's side to move around or anything. But man, was it DEEP. I couldn't even begin to imagine the bottom of that ocean. But no one sank... well, except those who gave up like Violet did."

"Could people cough in there?" Annie asked curiously, trying to figure out how the pathogens could have been spread.

Mary thought back to the time she'd spent in that world. "I... think so..."

Miss Fontaine, in teacher mode, looked at the teen girl in her pajamas. "Okay, Annie, how is staph spread?"

"Skin-to-skin contact and contaminated objects like towels and clothes. Warm, humid environments also contribute as people sweat and touch... Was it warm there?" the girl asked her friend's spirit counterpart, her eyebrow raised.

"Beats me. I can only feel when I'm in control of Violet's body," Mary answered with a shrug. "You'd have to ask someone who was there."

Annie looked at Rosa, the only person in the room that had been there. "Rosa? Was it warm there?"

Rosa blinked, frowning as she thought back. "I... can't remember much outside of what I saw... But it definitely wasn't cold."

The nurse and would-be med student and children of doctors looked at each other. "It was a perfect breeding ground," Jaden realized. "If somebody near Bastion had it, then... the incubation period... somehow it got right in his lungs where he was and it's only now hitting..."

"Jaden?" Annie asked, stunned that he actually would know. _But then again,_ she reflected, _he's an oncologist's son_.

He sighed. "I learned about staph and MRSA infections when I was little. Mom told me to wear socks when I was in the hospital so I wouldn't get an infection. No matter how clean hospitals are kept, there's still a danger of staph infections there..."

"Then... is Bastion going to be able to get better?" Syrus asked worriedly.

Miss Fontaine nodded. "I think so... I'm not sure if this is an antibiotic-resistant strain he's contracted and even if it's not, his system is weak and the disease has hit him very hard, very fast... A pulmonologist is on the way to help..."

"Uh, a what?" Rosa asked.

"It's a doctor that's specifically trained to work with diseases affecting the heart and lungs," Miss Fontaine explained. "He may have to help in case Bastion goes into respiratory distress... That means he may not be able to breathe right..."

"And that means a respirator," Annie groaned softly, the potential scenarios going through her mind in a split second.

"A respirator?!" Alexis gasped.

Tyson breathed, "Sam Hill... that bad?"

Annie nodded. "If he can't breathe deep enough, he won't get enough oxygen. And that could be fatal... So they need to use a respirator..."

"If that's the case, I suggest breaking it to Violet slowly. Or you're going to have a hysterical teenager on your hands," Mary stated seriously.

The teens looked at each other and then at Violet's alternate personality. "How the heck did Yugi handle stuff like this?" Jaden wondered aloud.

"Barely, I'm guessing," Mary answered, sighing.

GXGXGXGXGXGX

It was another hour before the helicopter arrived at Duel Academy with its passengers. Chancellor Shepherd raced down to the platform to greet the doctors and worried mother. "Hello, everyone... I'm sorry it's under yet again unpleasant circumstances," he apologized.

"It's all right, Andrew. How is our son doing?" Hiro asked worriedly, still holding his wife close.

"Miss Fontaine made the determination an hour ago... he has a nasty strain of pneumonia. He seems stable right now and is sleeping. She'll fill you in..."

Katai visibly tensed at this, reading Andrew Shepherd's face. 'Bastion,' she thought, brown eyes pained.

Hiro kept his arm around her, sighing and running his free hand through his hair, identical to Bastion's in shape and color aside from some gray streaks. "I see... at least he's stable for now and resting."

"Let's get up there," Dr. Nakamura said clearly.

"Yeah, we can assess this properly," Scout added briskly.

As the adults headed up the walkway, the rest of the close-knit gang arrived in the infirmary. "You guys should've called us!" Chazz stated, frustrated, which was his version of worried.

"Chazz is right! We would have come no matter what time it was!" Atticus added, just as worried.

Alexis sighed. "You guys were asleep; we didn't want to wake you. Besides... not much has changed since we brought them here. You need the rest, especially you two."

Chazz was about to argue with his sister when... "She's right, you two... You still need rest," Scout said in her calm and gentle way.

"MOM!" Chazz shouted, running to her eagerly, wincing slightly when his chest touched her.

"Hi, sweetie," she smiled, eyes widening when she saw her eldest. "Atticus, my goodness... how are you feeling?"

Atticus grinned, carefully hugging his mother. "A lot better, Mom... What are you doing here?"

"Yeah, Mom. I didn't know you were coming," Alexis added, also hugging her.

"Dr. Nakamura needs assistance with Bastion, and since we have a couple of other pediatric surgeons at Domino Children's who don't have kids at Duel Academy, they could spare me," she answered. "If Bastion needs as much help as he might, Dr. Nakamura's going to need me."

Chazz nodded. "Okay, Mom... just help him okay?"

"I'll do my best," the pediatric surgeon and mother promised.

"Hi, Hiro, hi, Katai," Annie greeted, coming out of a cubicle and up to the parents with a clipboard. She was clad in Academy-issue blue medical scrubs, a cap to keep her hair out of her face, a pair of exam gloves and a surgical mask which was now down around her neck.

Hiro adjusted his glasses. "Hello, Annie. Are you helping Miss Fontaine?"

Annie nodded. "Yeah, and this is his chart... She's staying in there right now, and I'm supposed to tell you that you need to get scrubs, gloves and masks on right now since you'll want to see Bastion. He's got staph-based pneumonia and Miss Fontaine's testing further to see if it's an antibiotic-resistant strain..."

"All right, then. A normal precaution," the ophthalmologist stated, falling into his doctor's mode.

"Yeah, and Violet's been moved from the room. She's still really groggy from her meds. Miss Fontaine is going to check her for staph infection since she's been in the closest proximity to Bastion," the teenage girl explained.

"Does she know?" Katai asked. Annie shook her head.

Hiro frowned. "Hopefully she didn't contract it... But she'll take the news hard either way..."

Katai sighed. "I should be in the room when she's told. She'll be upset when she wakes up and realizes he's not with her..."

"I'll stay with Bastion. She'll just need a mother figure, darling," Hiro assured, smiling a little.

"Okay..."

As Hiro and the other doctors went to get their scrubs on to see Bastion, Annie led Katai down to Violet's cubicle. "Violet, are you awake?" Annie asked, poking her head into the area.

Violet groaned in reply. "Annie...? Where's Bastion?" she mumbled groggily. She had only woken up a minute or so ago.

"Hey, Violet," Annie answered. "Bastion is still in the other room. We had to move you out of there... Oh, Katai is here..."

"Hi, sweetie," the female Misawa smiled gently, sitting next to her future daughter-in-law. "How are you feeling?"

Violet blinked, confused and just a bit disoriented. "Uh... b-better... But, why did you have to move me?" she asked with a deep frown.

Katai put her arms around Violet, knowing this would be hard for her to hear. "Violet... Bastion has a very nasty strain of pneumonia... You know what staph infections are, right?" Annie asked.

"Um... no..." Violet was getting a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"It's a type of bacteria," Annie patiently explained, "and it's a bad one if it's the type that makes you sick. It usually causes skin infections, but it can cause pneumonia if it gets in your lungs. It also can be tricky to treat because some strains are resistant to antibiotics. Miss Fontaine is observing you to be sure you don't have staph. And we have to be sure what kind he has. Once we know, we should be able to let you back in with him. But you can't sleep in the same bed with him right now..."

"W-Wait, so... he's going to be okay, right?" Violet asked, that of course being her main worry. She had such a bad feeling that she almost felt sick.

Katai kept Violet close. "Annie... let me tell her..." Annie nodded and kept quiet. "Violet, Bastion's really sick," the worried mother began. And she told Violet how serious it was. "...So Bastion should pull through this, but it's going to be very dangerous... especially if something goes wrong with his breathing..."

Violet started shaking, hands clenching as her recovering mind processed this information. Water gathered beneath her eyes, tears threatening to fall. "He could... h-he could... No..." she moaned. Tightly closing her eyes, the tears were freed, and streamed down her face to steadily drip onto her hands and the blanket.

Katai cuddled Violet like she would Bastion when he was scared. "It is possible... but we have the best heart and lung doctor in the region here to help and that helps his survival chances..."

"She's right, Violet," Annie added, also hugging her friend. "And even an antibiotic resistant strain isn't invincible."

Violet clung to the two women, needing their support as she cried. "I-I can't lose him... not now... N-Not after all we've… we've been through together... I can't..."

"We'll fight it hard, Violet, with everything we have," Annie stated, eyes burning. "I am not going to let him die..."

Katai nodded too. "Bastion's a fighter," she added, "And so are you..."

Violet blinked at Katai through her tears, sniffling a bit. "I-I... I am?"

"You are, sweetie... I've known that since the day I met you," Katai answered, her gentle eyes shining with motherly love.

Violet wiped at her tears with the back of her arm, managing a small smile. "O-okay... b-but I want to help..."

"We'll let you in the room with him as soon as we can," Annie promised. "You have to be in scrubs and a mask and gloves."

"Violet, will you be okay while I go and see him?" Katai asked.

Violet sniffled a bit more, but had calmed down quite a bit. "Y-Yeah..." She didn't want to keep her fiancé's own mother from seeing him.

"I'll be right back, honey... I promise..." And Katai stepped out.

"I'll stay with you, Violet. They have enough real doctors," Annie stated sheepishly.

"Th-Thanks, Annie... And, you may not be a real doctor yet, but… you're almost as good as a real one," Violet replied encouragingly.

"Thanks, Violet," Annie blushed.

GXGXGXGXGXGX

In the meantime, Katai got her scrubs, gloves and mask on and came to her son's room. She couldn't suppress a gasp at the sight of her boy. "We're giving him oxygen, Katai," Scout explained gently as the worried mom entered the room.

Bastion lay in the hospital bed, sound asleep, it seemed. His eyes were closed, and his skin was very pale. It served to accentuate how thin and weak the time in the World of Darkness had made him. And now, he was hooked up to an IV and Dr. Nakamura was placing oxygen tubes in the boy's nose. "This'll help him breathe a little more," the pulmonologist was saying.

Hiro quickly went to his wife, placing a strong arm around her. He had reacted much the same way when he had first walked in and seen the state of his only child. "It'll be all right, Katai... I believe he can sense that we're here with him..."

"I know," Katai murmured, "but it's so hard, Hiro... He looks so thin..."

Hiro sighed. "It's hard to see... But he'll gain the weight back..."

It was at this moment that Bastion moaned softly and struggled to open his eyes. "Mmmm... Mummy? Daddy?" he called weakly. He had heard them as he slowly swam back to consciousness.

The parents were by their son's side in a heartbeat. "Bastion? We're here, son. Try to open your eyes," Hiro answered gently.

"Bastion... sweetheart... come on... it's going to be all right," Katai added, taking her only child's hand.

The boy managed it finally and when he did, the gray eyes were fever-bright. "Where am I?" he asked in puzzlement. "Where's... where's Violet?"

Hiro placed a strong hand on Bastion's shoulder, signaling for him to stay down and not to try sitting up. "You're in the infirmary, my boy. Violet is in another room resting... You… you're very sick, son," he explained slowly, his voice betraying the slightest tremor. It wasn't until his only child spoke weakly and confusedly that Hiro's control broke.

"Infirmary? I was in our room... we... we just got back..." Evidently, he hadn't been aware of what had occurred in the past few hours.

"Bastion? That was yesterday, sweetie," Katai explained softly, brushing his bangs with one of her gloved hands.

"I just remember... getting back and getting a shower... Is... is Violet all right?" he asked, coughing again.

"Yes, she's just fine, Bastion. It's you we're worried about... You can see Violet in a little while, all right?" Hiro explained.

"All ri..." And the boy started coughing violently and Scout and Dr. Nakamura sat him up.

"It's okay, Bastion... it's gonna be all right," Scout soothed, holding a kidney-shaped emesis tray to him. Dr. Nakamura took the opportunity to listen to Bastion's lungs and breathing as he coughed, frowning slightly.

And Bastion coughed up more blood-tinged gunk. When he was done, the surgeon and pulmonologist laid him back in the bed again. "Ooh," Bastion groaned softly.

"It's going to be okay, baby," Katai soothed him as he breathed in tired, short pants.

"If you're tired, son, then sleep. You need the rest to get better," Hiro added softly, squeezing his son's shoulder comfortingly.

"It hurts, Dad," Bastion managed to say, his eyes closed, grimacing in pain.

"I know it does... Alex, is there anything you can do for the pain?" Hiro asked his colleague, wanting to help his son.

Alex sighed. "I've already given him some acetaminophen through the IV... it just needs to kick in... Anything much stronger would be hazardous..."

Hiro nodded. "The pain should be receding soon, Bastion. Give it some time..."

Bastion, too tired, drifted off. Katai couldn't suppress a sob. "Katai... We'll beat this," Scout tried.

Hiro pulled her into a close hug, rubbing her back. "Shh... it's all right, darling... He's going to get through this..." Katai just couldn't take it and cried her heart out. Her baby was so sick and there was absolutely nothing she could do to make it better. So Hiro simply held her, continuing to rub her back and murmur soothing words. He, too, ached to help his child, knowing that there was nothing he could do.

GXGXGXGXGXGX

News of how sick Bastion spread through the campus like wildfire in the next few hours. And soon, there was a line of students wanting to see the young man. "Oh, my," Annie breathed, seeing how long the line was. "That's every Ra student and most of the campus..."

Syrus smiled a little. "A lot of the students respect him... and he's always been friendly with everyone, so I'm not surprised..."

"It's just impressive, and he's thought so often that no one really noticed him," she said sadly. "And now he's too sick to enjoy it..." She took a deep breath. "We don't realize how we're appreciated sometimes..." The Ra Yellow boys had been the first in line to see Bastion if they could.

"You're right... I didn't," Syrus added softly, frowning.

Annie nodded, remembering how her fiancé had often felt unnoticed or only noticed in the capacity of being Jaden's friend or Zane's little brother. "You didn't realize you were noticed. But then you did... And I noticed you too," she sighed, smiling. "You showed you were great, not just in dueling, but in other things too..."

He blushed a little. "I… I guess I did. I'm glad you noticed me, Annie..."

"And so did Jay, Bastion, Chumley, Alexis... everybody did, even Zane did..." She kept the smile on her face. "Now no one underestimates you or ignores you..."

He returned the smile. "Not anymore..."

"Nope... oh goodness! I just realized something!!" she yelped, something suddenly hitting her mind like a gushing attack from Water Dragon.

He blinked. "What??"

"We have to figure out so Bastion can be at the graduation!"

"You're right! There has to be a way..."

Most of their group had heard Annie's yelp and raced to where they were sitting. "Guys, what's going on?!" Jaden demanded to know.

"Yeah, did something happen?" Aster Phoenix added.

Syrus sweat-dropped, thinking that perhaps Annie had yelped a little bit too loudly. "We just realized that we have to think of a way for Bastion to be at the graduation...."

"Oh, no!" Jaden groaned.

"Oh, no," Alexis muttered.

"Oh, no!" Mindy added. And on the TV monitor in the room, "OH YEAH!" shouted the Kool-Aid Man on a commercial.

Everyone looked up at the TV, and their jaws dropped. "Okay... what are the odds of that actually happening?" Jasmine wondered.

"No clue. But it happened, and it was freaky," Atticus answered, sweat-dropping.

"Yeah... that was weird... but sorta funny," Annie said. "Okay... so we have to figure out how to keep Bastion part of the graduation. He's too sick to get out of bed and read his speech..."

"Is there a way he could be in two places at once??" Syrus wondered aloud.

"Couldn't we do something with a TV and a camera?" Jaden suggested.

"You know what? I bet we could. What do you think, Annie? Is it possible?" Alexis asked, looking at the technologically-inclined girl.

Annie thought quickly. "We could have a live feed into the graduation so Bastion could see what was going on, and then a live feed into his room when we walk the line... Atticus, do not sing Johnny Cash!" When she was sure he wouldn't, she continued, "We could arrange it so he's here receiving his diploma and everyone sees it! Guys, this can work! We just have to clear it with Miss Fontaine, Hiro and Katai!" she grinned triumphantly.

"They're still with Bastion, right?" Atty asked.

"Yeah. They haven't wanted to leave his side if they can avoid it," Annie explained.

"Should we wait until the line lets up?" Jaden asked.

"That might be a good idea. And there isn't really a rush for it... right?" Syrus asked, looking at Annie.

"Right. We've got until Tuesday," she explained.

"And the academy is well-wired," Adrian grinned, "and we can do this in 10 hours, tops. And we have time."

"Time for what?" Violet asked as she walked over to them. Thanks to the antibiotics and other medication, she was feeling better. However, she was still staying in the infirmary so that she could be with Bastion and so that Miss Fontaine could keep an eye on her. The nurse had told her to get rest, but also to walk around a bit and get exercise.

"Hey, Violet! Annie figured a way for Bastion to come to graduation!" Jaden grinned. "And we called the Kool-Aid Man!"

Violet blinked a few times. "Okay... now wait a sec. First off, what do you mean you called the Kool-Aid Man??"

"It was so weird!" And he explained exactly what had happened. "...And then Mindy said 'Oh no,' and on the TV, the Kool-Aid Man burst through the wall and said, 'Oh YEAH!' It was so freaky!" The Slifer boy was clearly delighted at this.

Violet stared at him in disbelief, then turned to Annie. "Is that true?"

Annie nodded, looking stunned. "I doubt we'd ever do that again..."

Violet pouted. "I can't believe I missed that! Man... well, what's this about Bastion and graduation?"

Annie took a deep breath and explained their plans. "... It's not right that he's worked so hard and is too sick to even walk the line... So we're going to make him part of the ceremony by doing the live monitors and camera feeds," she finished.

Violet grinned. "How did you guys come up with that? It's genius! The perfect way for him to be there but stay in bed..."

"Well, the Sarge thought of the camera and TV and Private Annie figured a way to make it happen!" Tyson grinned.

"Thanks, guys. This'll make him so happy when we tell him about it. Hiro and Katai will be glad too, I know they were just as upset over it," Violet explained happily.

"Yeah... He is the valedictorian, after all," Axel reminded them. "And that's a huge deal..."

"He worked really hard for that... and he deserves it... He deserved to walk the line, but... this is almost as good," Violet agreed, excited to tell her fiancé the news.

"We just have to clear it with Miss Fontaine, Hiro and Katai," Annie smiled, hugging her surrogate sister. "But I don't think they'd say no now..."

"Yeah, as long as Bastion's okay enough, he should be fine to watch everything," Jasmine smiled.

"He will be... He's getting better," Violet asserted. But everyone could catch the slightest hint of desperation for that statement to be true in her voice.

Annie kept her arms around Violet, nodding. "He's going to get better, Violet... And this time Tuesday... he'll be graduating with us..."

GXGXGXGXGXGX

When the last students had visited Bastion, his closest friends and fiancée entered the intensive care room. "Hey, everyone," Bastion greeted tiredly.

"Hey, Bastion," Jaden smiled back, managing to conceal how worried he really was for his friend.

"Hi, Bastion-baby... How are you feeling?" Violet asked, carefully hugging the man she'd fallen in love with two years ago.

Bastion weakly hugged back. "Better since you came in the room," he murmured tiredly. One by one his friends were allowed to get close and squeeze his hand or hug him now that they were all suited up. "So...what brings everyone in here? You look as if... you're planning something..."

Violet grinned. "I didn't, but they did..."

"We had an idea for you to be in the graduation, Bastion," Syrus began.

"What?" the teen genius asked in surprise.

"Are you serious?" Katai asked, stunned. "Bastion can take part?"

Annie stepped forward and again explained their plan to Bastion, his parents and Miss Fontaine. "... So that's how we can do it... but it has to be approved."

Hiro looked from his wife to the school nurse, positively joyful at the prospect. "Well, I believe it's a wonderful idea. Bastion can rest and still be at the ceremony, in a sense. What do you think, darling? Miss Fontaine?"

Katai looked positively angelic and Miss Fontaine nodded. "I think that's acceptable. If Dr. Nakamura is okay with it, we'll go ahead..."

"And I most definitely approve," Dr. Nakamura smiled, coming in from the bathroom. "You kids are doing a great thing for Bastion's morale."

"Isn't it great, Bastion?! You can be at the ceremony!" Violet exclaimed, grinning from behind her mask and taking his hand.

"Yeah... you'll need help with the wiring..."

"Bastion," Annie began sternly, "You're in bed with pneumonia..."

"But I..."

Violet placed her hands on her hips. "Bastion, as your future wife, I'm telling you to stay in this bed and rest. You'll thank me when you're feeling better and we can have the wedding and honeymoon." Even with her mask, one could practically see the smirk on her face.

"All right," he groaned softly and sleepily. "Thanks, guys..."

"Hey you deserve it," Chazz pointed out softly. "Bastion, you worked hard... and you're our friend..."

"Yeah... and some of us owe you," Jaden added, blushing slightly. Bastion had helped him, Jaden, with his homework and also saved Jaden's father from a pummeling at the hand of Jagger Princeton last summer.

"Chazz and Jaden are right, Bastion. You deserve the rest... we'll handle this," Alexis stated seriously.

But Bastion, already tired, had fallen asleep. Katai brushed at her son's forehead. "Thank you, kids... all of you..."

Hiro nodded. "Yes, you all are such a big help for his recovery..."

"He'd do the same for us," Jaden answered for all of them. "He helps us a lot more than he knows..."

"Okay... so we need to get this set up," Annie stated quietly.

"It would probably be best to leave it to the ones who know how to do it best, right?" Syrus asked, sweat-dropping.

"Yeah," Adrian agreed, "but we will need people who can carry stuff. And sound checkers..." And so the planning began.

GXGXGXGXGXGXGX

A day and a half later, just before bedtime, the group made the final checks to the Duel Academy graduation sound system. "Okay, Atticus, go ahead," Jaden said into the microphone attached to his scrub collar in the infirmary room. "I can see you."

Atticus grinned excitedly. After Annie had explained to him about the specifics of singing, he had started practicing. And now was the first time he was going to try singing with this new information in mind. So, Atticus cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and began singing "Come Fly with Me" by Frank Sinatra.

Annie, sitting in the auditorium, gave Atticus a big thumbs-up. Jasmine was more enthusiastic as she came onto the stage. "That was great!"

The Obelisk 20-year-old grinned sheepishly, blushing just slightly. It was the first time he'd received praise for his singing. "Really? It wasn't bad?"

"Yeah! You really improved!" she answered, hugging him.

And Annie, at the control area, grinned and added, "You were on pitch, Atticus and you did pretty well."

Atticus hugged his girlfriend back, giving the peace sign up towards the control area. "AWESOME! Your teaching worked, Annie! Thanks!!"

"No problem, Atty. You need to keep working, but you have improved by leaps and bounds," she answered.

Back in the hospital room. Jaden and Bastion looked at each other. "Wow," the Slifer said, his jaw figuratively somewhere on the floor.

"That was bloody brilliant," the sick young man added, his gray eyes wide.

"Were you guys listening to the radio? I thought you were doing a sound test," Violet said, walking in.

"Sound and visual, darling," Bastion answered.

"And... that was Atticus," Jaden stated. "Atticus... wow! Violet thought you were the radio!"

"That was Atticus?!" Violet yelped in shock.

Atticus practically fell over from the same emotion. "You're kidding!!"

"Not kidding, bro! That was great!" Jaden enthused.

"Wow... You guys actually liked my singing," Atty muttered, stunned. It was certainly a new situation for the Obelisk.

"Atticus, you sound good singing Sinatra," Annie commented. "Let's try you on some crooner stuff... I think we've got the kinks worked out... Guys, we can shut down... Adrian, anything?"

Adrian, positioned in the hall, shook his head. "Everything works. We're good to go!"

"Hey, Annie! What did you mean by 'crooner stuff'?" Atticus asked, coming off the stage to his teacher.

"Music by people like Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Darren, Harry Connick Jr., Michael Buble," she answered.

The 20-year-old sweat-dropped. "Uh... I only know Frank Sinatra out of those..."

"Don't worry, you'll learn, Atticus," she answered. The group shut the system down and headed out to their dorms.

Bastion, in his bed in the infirmary was already very tired but smiled. "It's graduation..."

Violet grinned behind her mask, holding his hand. "Yeah... we made it, Bastion-baby. We survived high school... even with all of the crazy stuff that happened."

"You'll... look so beautiful, love," he murmured sleepily.

She squeezed his hand. "And you'll still look handsome in your cap, Bastion..."

"I..." He was so worn out, he was already drifting off.

"He's too tired," Katai sighed softly, having come back in to check on the young couple.

Violet's head dropped a little and Hiro placed a hand on her shoulder. "He'll regain his strength, Violet. The rest will help..."

Katai put an arm around Violet as well. "It's going to take time, honey... And we'll watch for little things..."

Violet closed her eyes. "I know... I just hate seeing him so worn out and tired all the time... it isn't like him..."

"I know, sweetheart... Let's get you to bed too... Alan and Barbara will be here in the morning..."

The teenager yawned. "All right... Miss Fontaine did say I still needed rest..."

"Yes, you're still a bit under the weather as well," Hiro said, nodding.

Katai helped her daughter-in-law to the bed next to Bastion's. "Just relax, angel," she murmured as the girl lay down. "Shhh..."

Violet, still recovering, was asleep in minutes like her fiancé. Hiro sighed. "It's a good thing that Bastion is recovering... Slowly, yes, but if he would be getting worse..."

Katai covered Violet with the warm blanket on her bed and whispered, "Yeah... what would it do to her?"

"Nothing good... her condition might actually worsen as well... Let's just be grateful that he's not getting worse, and that he is getting better and regaining his strength," Hiro replied.

Alex Nakamura tiptoed into the room to check both teenagers. "Hiro... it's going to get worse before it gets better... He's going to weaken again... it's not a matter of if with this now; it's a matter of when..."

Hiro frowned. "Alex... Are you sure?" He knew the man was an expert, but the thought of this severely worried him. And he acted as any concerned parent would, with apprehension.

"I'm sure," Alex answered, his dark eyes meeting his colleague's. "Bastion's going according to form right now. He's seeming a little stronger, which is good, but in the next few days, he's going to feel bad again and then his lungs may not work well enough for him to breathe on his own..."

Hiro pulled off his glasses, rubbing wearily at his eyes. "Oh, no... this will be difficult... in more ways than one..."

Katai took several breaths behind her mask. "This... Alex, isn't there anything..?"

"The disease has to take its course... His body is fighting it... He'll be weak, and he's not out of danger yet, but I think he's going to pull through this," Alex answered, still examining Bastion and the boy's charts.

"And there's no way to avoid this... We should prepare everyone for it, shouldn't we?" Hiro asked, placing his glasses back on and looking at the pulmonologist.

"We should," Alex agreed. "But let's wait until tomorrow evening when the kids have had their celebration..."

"Yeah... let them have their day," Katai agreed, a tear coming down her cheek.

Hiro pulled her into a hug, sighing deeply. "We'll do that... And then we'll all be here for him when it comes to this... both him and Violet will need all of the support we can give them..."

"They all will," Alex stated.

GXGXGXGXGXGX

Back at Obelisk Blue, as nearly every senior-level student was going to bed, one girl was reading carefully through her notes at her desk in the bedroom she shared with her fiancé. "Students, teachers, administrators, honored guests... Okay, I've got that," Annie muttered softly. Syrus yawned, in his pajamas but having decided to stay up with his fiancée. He was sitting on the bed, trying to stay awake so that he could help her if necessary. Annie looked back. "Honey, are you tired?" she asked in concern.

Syrus blinked. "A little... but I want to stay up and help you, Annie..." he answered.

"I think I've got it," she said, glancing over it one more time. "I just wanted to be sure I wasn't too nervous about this..."

He stood and went to her, wrapping his arms around her in a loose hug. "You don't need to be nervous... you'll do fine..."

She turned around, getting up from the chair and hugging him back. "I'm over-thinking again, hon... Thanks for reminding me... Maybe... we should get to bed..."

He nodded. "It's late... And we don't want to fall asleep during the ceremony," he joked, grinning.

"Definitely not..." She was glad they were both already in their nightclothes as they got back to the big bed. "We may have long days ahead too..."

"Yeah... Bastion's still really sick, and Violet isn't completely better yet, either," he agreed, wrapping an arm around her.

"And he will get worse before he gets better," she sighed sadly. She cuddled close to him again, shivering at what she'd learned.

He frowned. "That's going to be bad..."

"Yeah... I'm just glad Scout and Dr. Nakamura are here," she sighed. "They have the training for this sort of thing. From what I've read, putting in a breathing tube is tricky..."

"Annie... will he really stop breathing?" he asked quietly.

"Well, what will happen is that he won't be able to breathe well enough on his own because his lungs are full of stuff and the sacs are inflamed. And since he can't breathe well enough on his own, he needs the help," she answered, the reality of the situation really beginning to hit her.

"So... he'll still be breathing, right? He won't just... stop?"

Annie took a deep breath, steadying herself mentally. "Sy...his breathing will get so weak, it'll be almost like he isn't breathing... With this sort of pneumonia and how hard it's hit him... he'll go into respiratory distress and they'll have to act fast. Dr. Nakamura was already monitoring his oxygen levels..."

Syrus frowned. "How long will it be like that?"

"It may be a couple of days, a week... and... if it's really bad... a few months. But Bastion's been pretty strong, so hopefully, it's a few days at most..."

"Good... Annie, when it happens... how do you think Violet's going to take it?"

Annie laid her head against her fiancé's shoulder as she thought about it. "She's going to be scared out of her mind... And if he goes into cyanosis as he just might, that'll really freak her out..."

Syrus gently rubbed her back as he sighed. "There isn't much we can do to stop that from happening.... is there?" he murmured.

"No... All we can do now is take it day to day... And we can help her as best we can," she concluded tiredly. "And the odds of surviving that are at least 50-50..."

He visibly tensed at that, closing his eyes. "He'll survive... he has to..." Annie nodded into his chest, beginning to cry. Knowing what could happen was a double-edged sword in that she knew both the best case and worst-case scenarios. The gift was that she knew her surrogate brother could survive and make a full recovery. The curse was that she knew his system could suffer total collapse and he could die. Syrus rubbed her back, keeping her close. He wiped away the few tears that slipped loose from his own eyes with his free hand.

"We'll pull him through... and when it happens... I'll need to stay down at the infirmary," she stated when she was under control.

"You will?" he asked in surprise.

She nodded again, raising her head to look in his eyes. "Violet will need me, and Scout, Miss Fontaine and Dr. Nakamura will need help too. I may not be a doctor yet, but I can help..."

He frowned. "Then I want to stay with you. I can help, and I can make sure you don't overwork yourself..."

She nodded. "Okay, hon... And I'll definitely owe you at least a backrub for that..."

He smiled at that thought. "That sounds nice..."

"Yeah," Annie yawned. "We'd better get to sleep... I wonder what Jaden's doing... He's got a speech to give too..."

"Something tells me he's either already sleeping... or still working on it..." Syrus yawned back.

GXGXGXGXGXGX

At the Slifer dorm... "Walk onstage... give speech... walk back to seat," Jaden muttered, pacing. He'd been pacing for the past 20 minutes, walking himself through what he'd be doing in a few hours.

Alexis yawned, already in a sky blue nightgown and sitting on the bed. "Jaden... come on... You'll sleep through the ceremony if you don't go to bed soon."

"I just want to be sure I get this right, babe. You don't get do-overs for this," he groaned, running a hand through his unruly brown and red-toned hair.

"No... But Jay, really, you'll do fine." Alexis soothed as she stood and went to him, wrapping her arms around him.

He turned into her embrace, smiling a little. "Yeah... I guess I'm over-thinking... It's like when I dueled Zane before..."

She smiled back, giving him a quick kiss. "Exactly. If you just relax, it'll come to you like it always does."

He grinned at that. "Yeah... we probably should get some sleep... And we still have a huge party after the ceremony..."

"I'll be keeping an eye on your sugar intake, Jay," she replied seriously.

"Why?" he asked as they climbed into bed, cuddling close.

She gave him a look. "Don't you remember the last time you had too much sugar?" Jaden's only response was to sweat-drop and chuckle.

GXGXGXGXGXGX

Down a few doors in Chazz's palatial dorm room, the Slifer boy, Aster Phoenix and Atticus were laying out their uniforms and graduation caps and gowns. "Chazz, I have no idea how you're going to get that hat on your head tomorrow morning," Aster teased.

"I can do it," Chazz countered, checking the robe to make sure it fell evenly to his lower calf.

"Let's try it now!" Atticus exclaimed with a grin, grabbing the cap. He promptly shoved it down onto his little brother's head, only for it to pop off seconds later. It was a mark of just how much Chazz had improved over the past year that he laughed.

"I knew it!" Aster, too, was laughing. "My hair doesn't have that problem... Anyone wonder how Yugi wore his graduation cap?"

Atty blinked. "That's a good question. I wonder how he got it to fit..." The three guys laughed out loud and then headed to bed.

GXGXGXGXGXGX

And up at Obelisk, Tyson checked over his things. "Darlin', what are you wearin' tomorrow under the robe?" he asked.

"I don't know... what do you usually wear?" Rosa was just as unfamiliar with the American graduation as she had been with Thanksgiving. Back in Calientara, graduation simply consisted of a document that stated you had received full education and could attend college.

Tyson looked thoughtful. "You just need to have something on that goes under the robe. Some of the girls are just wearin' their uniforms..."

"But you don't have to wear your uniform?" she asked, curiosity piqued. If she didn't, then she knew what she would wear.

"No you don't," he explained. "Some guys wear suits, but choose their uniforms, and some gals pick dresses or pantsuits..." He looked at her curiously, knowing by now that she was planning something. "Do you have somethin' in mind?"

She nodded, smiling. "Since I don't have to wear my uniform anymore, I'll wear one of my other dresses."

Tyson's eyebrows raised as he smiled. "Which one?" he asked.

Rosa shook her head. "You'll see tomorrow. It's a surprise; one you haven't seen before."

Tyson grinned at that. "You can still surprise me, Spanish Rose... I'm glad," he stated as they climbed into bed.

Rosa pulled close to him, as she had been every night since she'd been released from the infirmary. "You like surprises, Ty-Ty?" she asked.

"This kinda surprise, definitely," he answered, hugging her safely to him. "I don't like surprise attacks, but I like fun surprises."

She closed her eyes. "Same here. I think we'll have lots of good surprises in the future."

"Yeah," he murmured, eyes closing. "Love you, darlin'..."

"I love you, Ty-Ty," she muttered back.

_Well, no one's dead in this chapter! Yay! And the gang is graduating on the morrow! So next time, join the gang for a joyous celebration! And please join us for "Graduation Part I!" See you next time and thank you!_


	49. Graduation Part I

Chapter XLIX: Graduation Part I

_Hello again, dear readers and welcome back to this at times disturbing alternate timeline. We're glad to see you're all still reading and reviewing after all this time and to the reviewer identifying him/herself as yonnie in his/her review of __**Halloween Hysterics**__, Jim Cook did not dress in drag. We only had Jaden, Jesse, Chazz, Syrus and Atticus do that honor. Now, we imagine you all have been waiting for our version of the graduation from Duel Academy! _

_A few authors' notes before we begin… We took inspiration from the canon graduation scenes in which Dr. Crowler actually cries as he addresses the students, so we made our own version of that. Further, Peach has taken inspiration from real life for an interaction between the instructors. At the university from which she graduated, the professors always lay bets for how long the graduation ceremony will go, so that's something she added in for the Duel Academy teachers to do. Thanks for your attention, and now to do the disclaimer, Jaden Yuki!_

_**Jaden comes onstage:**__ Okay, Peach and Ani wanted me to tell you that they don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise, but they do own their OCs, non-established characters, their storylines and of course, this version of the Yugi-verse. Peach and Ani also want to mention that they directly quoted a scene from Star Trek: First Contact in Annie's graduation speech. And wow… I actually graduated and made it to the ceremony! Yay! Thanks! __**Jaden does back flips offstage.**_

The next morning, the academy was extremely active. In the Echo family suite in Obelisk Blue, Rachel was racing around in the walk-in closet. "Echo, have you seen my blue heels?" she asked her daughter.

Echo sighed; her mother was always like this when it came to special events. "In their shoebox in the corner, Mom," she answered simply.

Rachel grinned sheepishly as she found said shoebox. "Thanks, honey. And you look wonderful," she smiled, clad in a simple sleeveless blue calf-length dress. She was also wearing sapphire earrings and a simple silver chain necklace.

Echo blushed a little, but smiled. "Thanks, Mom. You look great too." She was wearing an indigo halter-top dress that billowed out around her knees. Around her neck hung the locket that Adrian had mentioned all those weeks ago, and her hair fell in black waves down her back.

"I wonder how Adrian's doing with Sid..?"

And in Sid and Adrian's room... "Sid, c'mon, we have to get that dress shirt on you," Adrian said to his little brother as they pulled on their dress wear.

Sid, however, was resisting a bit. The little boy pouted, arms crossed over his chest. He didn't mind polo shirts, but he hated dress shirts like any other boy his age. "I don't want to wear it, Adrian!"

Adrian sighed, smiling. "Kiddo... do you think I like dress shirts?"

Sid held his pout. "I don't know... do you?"

"Not particularly... and we don't have to wear this stuff forever," the young man reminded his little brother.

"Just get all this stuff on, and we'll be out of it later, okay?"

Sid frowned. "Are you sure I won't have to wear it for long?"

Adrian reached his hand out, solemnly extending his pinky. "I pinky swear..."

Sid seemed to consider this, but then linked his pinky with his brother's. "Okay..."

GXGXGXGXGXGX

At 9 AM, most of the academy was assembled in the main building's auditorium. "Testing, 1, 2, 3," Annie stated into a microphone while looking into the camera. "Hiro, can you hear me over there?" she asked, signaling to Bastion's dad in the infirmary.

Hiro nodded. "Yes, we can hear you just fine, Annie. And the visuals are working correctly as well."

"Great! Okay, all systems are go!" the teen girl grinned, giving a thumbs up to Professor Stein on stage.

The teacher tapped the microphone on stage. "Testing, 1, 2, 3. Can you hear me?"

Unfortunately, someone had turned up the volume on that particular microphone and there was a high-pitched whine. "OW!" the dark-haired girl yelped, turning it down. "Who turned this up?!"

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Uh... is that what this dial does?" he asked sheepishly.

"Yes, honey," she groaned softly, shaking her head to get rid of the ringing.

"Sorry..." He quickly turned it back down, and Stein's second test was successful.

The test concluded and the young couple headed down to the room where the students were putting on their robes and getting their caps adjusted or fit. "Okay, Chazz, hold still," Scout was saying as she held some bobby pins. "There. All set," she concluded as his hat now was in perfect position.

"Thanks, Mom," the young man grinned.

Atticus chuckled. "You should have seen what happened last night, Mom! It popped right off!"

Aster sighed, laughing, as Darla Truesdale made last-minute adjustments to his hat. "Yeah. It bounced about three feet up..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know," Chazz groaned again.

"Oh, these boys of ours, huh, Darla?" Scout asked with a smile.

Darla laughed as she finished. "You can say that again, Scout. There you go, Aster. All done."

"Thanks, Darla. Hey, is Zane here?"

She nodded, smiling. "Of course. He had to go use the restroom... He wouldn't miss his brother's graduation."

"Great! Well, he can join us at the party!" Aster stated eagerly. He and Zane might be rivals in the dueling arena, but outside of it, they were definitely friends.

Over a little way from the Truesdales and the Rhodes family, a small pretty woman with amber eyes and dark hair helped Axel with his cap and gown. "Honey, I am so proud of you," Kassidy Brody smiled. "And I know Daddy and Asher are too, even though they aren't here..."

"Thanks, Mama," Axel said with a slight, wistful smile. His brother, of course, had died when Axel was six, and it was only a few short years before that his father had died in a training exercise. But today was not a day to dwell in grief; it was a day to feel joy at accomplishments and know that the people he loved would be proud of him. "Jim, man, get over here and bring your mom!" he shouted out to his best friend and a small woman with raven hair and big blue eyes.

Jim grinned and walked over, his usual hat replaced by a cap. His mother, Terry Cook, was slightly shorter than her son but held the same strong aura about her. Unfortunately, Jim's father, Dave Cook, was unable to come. He was busy tailing a group of poachers on the Australian outback; ranger being his occupation. "G'day, you must be Axel. Right?" she greeted cheerfully.

"Yes, ma'am. You must be Mrs. Cook. Pleased to meet you," Axel smiled, shaking her hand.

"And I'm Kassidy, Axel's mom. He's told me so much about Jim," Kassidy smiled, her amber eyes shining with amusement. "The boys have been inseparable this whole year, Terry..." And then Kassidy reached up to pet Shirley, and hesitated. "May I pet your crocodile, Jim, sweetie?"

Yes, even in his graduation gown, Jim had attached Shirley to his back. He wouldn't walk the line without his lifelong companion. "Certainly, Mrs. Brody."

"Shirley's very friendly. She rarely tries to bite anyone unless she's provoked," Terry explained.

And so Kassidy reached up and petted the large crocodile on the snout. "A pleasure to meet you at last, Shirley. And Jim, please call me Kassidy, honey," she grinned.

Shirley growled out a greeting, and Jim nodded. "All right, Kassidy."

"And Axel, you can call me Terry, all right?" his mother added, smiling.

"Of course. Thanks, Terry," Axel grinned.

In another part of the room, Jesse Anderson found himself being figuratively attacked by his family. Okay, it wasn't an attack, but it felt like he was being mobbed. "Son, I am so dang proud of you, I am goin' to bust my shirt!" Hugh Anderson, Jesse's father, grinned. He had brown hair and blue-green eyes, but was built like a football player. He had played the game in high school, but had gotten into a manufacturing job in his first year of college. It had made him stronger, and even now, as he managed the factory in which he worked, he maintained his physique. "I know we should be at North Academy, but I like the locale better!"

"Whatever school you happen to be gettin' your diploma at doesn't matter much to me, honey. I just have to try not to cry when you walk down that line!" Sue Anderson, Jesse's mother, added. She had green eyes and the same hair as her son, except longer and pulled into a ponytail. Her physique was slender, but it was obvious that she had some meat on her bones. Like quite a few Southern mothers, she had decided early on to focus on her family rather than getting a job.

"Little bro," Jesse's big brother, Joe, grinned, a dead ringer for his father, except for a more delicate nose and chin like his mother, "you are doin' the family proud... And I'm cheerin', you know!"

"Me too! I wanna cheer for big brother!" Jesse's seven-year-old sister, Milly, added with a cute smile. She looked exactly like her mother, but was even more petite and paler due to some health issues.

Jesse laughed, grinning happily and glad for the reunion with his family. "Thanks, Ma, Pa, big bro, little sis! You guys are the greatest! But, uh, you can let go of me now..." They'd had him in a death grip the whole time.

"Well, I won't have you in a death grip, but I will hug you, Jesse," said a merry alto feminine voice. It belonged to a young woman with raven hair and blue eyes. Something about her suggested that she was Alexis's twin, but she definitely wasn't. She was clad in black pants and a raspberry pink shirt with light cap sleeves.

Jesse flushed, but held his grin as he went to her. "Willow! Wow, you look prettier than a tulip in springtime," he exclaimed, hugging her gleefully. The teen had missed his girlfriend dearly, even if they kept in touch through phone, email, and videophone.

"Well, I missed you, too, Jess... It's no fun without you and your spirit buddies around," she answered. "And I missed you cheering me on when I did my curling matches."

He pulled away to give her a quick peck on the cheek. "I missed watching you play, Icy Will..."

Ruby appeared on Willow's shoulder, rubbing her cheek against the girl's. "Bi bi bii!!"

"Well, hello, Ruby? You've been missing Canada, eh?" the girl asked reaching to scratch behind Ruby's ears.

The spirit cooed happily and nodded, tail swaying back and forth in content. Jesse sighed. "I've been missin' home too. But soon I'll be able to come back and be with everyone again."

"Well, we'll be glad to have you home, son... but we understand you bein' delayed," Hugh sighed, ruffling his middle child's hair. "You want to see your friends get married and you want to see that one friend of yours get better..."

Jesse nodded. "Yeah, Pa. I wanna be here to help him get better, and I wanna be at their wedding when it happens."

Sue smiled. "That's the little gentleman we raised. Always worrying about everyone else."

"Well... I can wait a little longer," Willow sighed, smiling, "but today is about you, Jesse..."

GXGXGXGXGXGX

The parents and families soon raced to the auditorium to get in their seats, and in the room, Dr. Crowler got the students' attention. "He's going to give a speech," Annie whispered to Violet.

"I wonder what he's going to say," she whispered back, curious.

"You okay?"

"Huh?"

"I was just asking if you're okay," Annie repeated.

"I'm fine." Violet answered, looking away. Why did Annie have to ask that out of the blue? It only made her uncomfortable.

"Just checking," the other girl whispered, squeezing Violet's hand. She knew everything was taking its toll and wanted to check.

But then Dr. Crowler began. "Attention, everyone. I just wanted to say a few words before you head to the auditorium. In the past few years, I have learned from you as I hope you have learned from me. Three years ago in August, I dueled a young man who came late to the practical dueling exams. I went up against him, thinking that he wouldn't last, but then I found otherwise. This Slifer slacker taught me about myself... and reminded me why I was meant to be a teacher... And then there were the students around him... Each of you in this room... You have meant so much..." And Vellian Crowler's voice broke as he started to cry.

Jaden broke free from the crowd and ran up to hug his professor. "It's okay, Dr. Crowler... it's okay..." And one by one, the students came up and joined the hug, until both teacher and Slifer were surrounded. Some of the students were crying too, and it was one giant, comforting group hug.

Dr. Crowler relaxed into it. "Thank you... all of you," he managed to say finally. "It has been an honor to watch all of you grow... And I'll watch all of you with interest." He pulled himself together and helped them all line up.

Jaden, stand toward the end of the huge line, grinned at Dr. Crowler when he came to the end of the line. "Just remember, teach, you still have me and my friends for a few more months..."

And Dr. Crowler grinned back, "Just my luck, Slacker!"

"Great... here we go," Annie groaned, hating that they had to stand in alphabetical order. Fortunately, she was near Violet and Tyson.

Violet grinned at her best friend. "Like elementary school all over again, eh, Annie?"

"And junior high," Annie groaned again, "but at least I'm not going to pass out this time..."

"Nope. And Bobby isn't here to moon the crowd when I get my diploma," Violet replied happily.

Tyson's eyes widened. "He did WHAT?!" he yelped, causing several heads to turn.

Violet blushed a bit. "Tyson, calm down! Sheesh... he did that when I graduated from elementary school and moved on to middle school. He was reckless at that age... er, more so than he is now."

"Sorry... that just... Sam Hill! What did your mama do after that?"

"Oh, she wasn't happy. And neither was Dad. Let's just say he couldn't sit right for a few days and was grounded for twice as long."

"Wow... Well, let's hope nothing like that happens today," Annie said, sweat-dropping. And then they were moving toward the auditorium.

And down the line, Chazz whispered to his brother, "Do you have it?"

Atticus grinned and gave a thumbs-up to his brother. "Of course! You think I'd forget something so important?" he whispered back.

"Good...Think Mom'll kill us?"

"I hope not... it'd suck to die after graduation..." Chazz couldn't help but chuckle, glad his sister didn't seem to be paying attention.

GXGXGXGXGXGX

The group of young adults made their way into the auditorium and to their seats as the familiar Pomp and Circumstance played. They sat down in their seats at the end of the song and Chancellor Shepherd said, "You may be seated. Welcome, parents, faculty, alumni and students to the graduation of Duel Academy's 11th senior class, the class of 2019. We are proud of all of you today as you take a step into the real world. Some of you will undoubtedly go onto college, while others will go straight to the Pro League. Some of you will become the designers of future cards and games, while someone among you may become the next King of Games. You don't know what the future holds for you, but it is not to be feared. It is to be embraced..."

In a seat with the other students, among them, the lost students who should have been part of the class of 2017, Yusuke Fujiwara smiled. "Yeah... you're right, sir," he murmured.

"But today, everyone, is a day for reflection and some fun! So enjoy the next few hours..." Up on the faculty platform, Fonda whispered to Don, "My bet is placed. 2 hours and 15 minutes. What's yours?" Fonda was referring to the betting pool that the faculty had for how long graduation would actually take. In theory, graduation should last about 2 and a half hours. But depending on the speaker and what students did, it could be a longer or shorter graduation.

"Two and a half, at least," Don answered, smirking. He had taught at this school long enough to know that the ceremony usually went over by around thirty minutes.

Fonda smiled knowingly. "You might win... Ben guessed 2 hours, 45 minutes..."

"Well, if his speech runs over..."

"We'll see..."

The first person to speak was Annie Hanson, standing in for Bastion and also doing her job as salutatorian. "Alex... Think she'll be okay?" Kathy Hanson whispered, seeing how pale their daughter was. Sure, she knew Annie wasn't prone to fainting anymore; that didn't stop her from worrying, however.

Alex took her hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "She'll be just fine, Kath. She's just nervous, that's all. And it's understandable..."

And in the infirmary, Bastion tried to take a deep breath, but couldn't. "Come on, Annie," he panted, "you can do this..."

"Honey, she'll do fine," Katai soothed her son.

"Yes, I'm certain she's been practicing. It's normal for one to be nervous for something like this," Hiro added reassuringly.

And on the podium, Anne Charlotte Hanson laid her notes down and began. "Parents, faculty, administrators, and honored guests... Today, I'm giving a speech in place of a dear friend... a brother... Bastion Misawa should be standing here right now, as the class of 2019's valedictorian. But instead, he's in the infirmary. I wish I could say that things like this are abnormal at this school, but it's not. I'd like to start with an equation Bastion wrote for the past three years of our lives here." She gestured to the view screen which changed to reveal a very simple equation... challenges + chaos + logic x friends + experience + love = real life.

"We've all learned in the past three years by facing challenges with logic and dealing with chaos as well. We have gained friends, experience and love along the way. Some of us have learned what the love of siblings can bring us if we didn't know already, or it's strengthened our bonds with our siblings and given us new ones. We have learned to love our friends, our enemies and we've let friendship turn to love without knowing it. Through movie nights, impromptu parties, eating contests and standing up for each other, we've gotten more than a taste of what real life really is. Some of us have faced life-threatening situations and survived. And when we got through it, we found we might be weak physically, but our spirits were stronger.

"We face a future that we can't be sure of, but we know that our friends are with us and are part of the equation to solve our problems. And our friends are around us, seen and unseen. We can't ever forget that. We also can't forget that we are only human as we race toward the future. Someone once said, 'Don't try to be a great man; just be a man, and let history make the judgments.' We are called upon to be the best we can be. And that's all we can be. Thank you very much," she concluded, stepping down from the podium.

The crowd gave a roaring applause, Annie's friends and family even standing as they clapped. Everyone considered the speech to be excellent as it described the past three years very well. In the infirmary, Bastion smiled. "She... did it," he stated softly.

Hiro was smiling too. "It was a wonderful speech. As expected from someone like her."

"She combined it, Dad," Bastion stated. "She promised she'd use some of my speech... She used the equation and even the Star Trek quote... I'm so glad..."

Katai was smiling too. "You'll have to read your draft to us, Bastion..."

"Yes, I'm sure your friends would like to hear it as well," Hiro added happily.

"Yeah... They all helped with it, in some fashion, after all," the young man sighed sleepily. Back at the auditorium, a rock group from Domino, the very popular Different Dimension Warp, came up onstage. "HELLO DUEL ACADEMY CLASS OF 2019!" Josh Mayakawa, the lead singer called out.

"Atticus," Chazz whispered, "I think now's the time!"

Atticus grinned. "Definitely!" He pulled out the deflated beach ball, and quickly began blowing it up. By the time the band was a few seconds into their first song, the ball was completely filled with air. "Here it goes!" Atticus stated excitedly, throwing the ball into the air.

And soon the graduates were hitting the ball all over the place. Alan Haverbrook started laughing. "Honey, it's a Stones concert!"

"Except there's only one. If I remember, you brought five to our last Stones concert!" Barbara responded, laughing as well.

The ball flew toward the Haverbrooks and little Haylee hit it back to the graduates. "Mommy! I hit the ball!!" she squealed as the band launched into a second song entitled "Harpy Storm."

Barbara grinned. "Yes, you did, sweetie! And that was a very good hit."

"Ha! I'll show you how to really hit it, Haylee!" Bobby stated as the ball flew their way again a minute later. However, the ball missed his hand entirely and instead bounced off his face, flying back over the crowd. In fact, Bobby's hit was so good, it went to the faculty platform and hit Vellian Crowler in the face. He fell backward onto the platform.

Barbara gasped. "Bobby!!"

"HA!! I can't wait to tell Violet that one was from me!" the young adult crowed proudly, even if he'd just been hit in the face by a beach ball.

And somewhere else in the crowd, Violet sighed beside her best friend. "My Bobby senses are tingling. I blame him for that," she muttered, referring to the ball hitting Crowler.

"Oh, boy," Annie sighed, laughing as Dr. Crowler got up and uncharacteristically gave the crowd a thumbs-up and took his seat. "And Dr. Crowler took that very well," Annie added, a little bit surprised.

Violet giggled. "Well, he's changed a lot. Now, if this had been our first year..."

"Yeah...he would've blamed Jaden... Good thing he did in our first year... Jay never would've done what he did..."

"But I still think he and Alexis would have gotten together."

Annie smiled thoughtfully. "Maybe he would have. But he would've taken longer... Oh well... it's his speech next. Alexis said he's really nervous... I just hope he doesn't take the advice to picture everyone in their underwear."

Violet face-palmed. "If he does... he'll do more laughing than talking..."

"Yeah... or he'll hide behind the podium if he pictures himself in his underwear," the dark-haired girl added.

Tyson, hearing the conversation said, "I told the Sarge to talk to his monsters and watch them."

Violet looked over at him in surprise. "Wow, Tyson... that's actually the perfect idea for Jaden!"

Tyson shrugged and chuckled. "I just know the Sarge too well. And he asked Private Syrus too, and Syrus said the same thing..."

"Well, Violet's right. He'll be calmer with the monsters to watch," Annie agreed.

The last song finished, and Different Dimension Warp cleared the stage to a standing ovation. And toward the back of the graduates, Jaden Kiyo Yuki swallowed. 'Oh, crap!' he thought. 'I have to go when Professor Stein introduces me!'

Said teacher stepped forward to the podium, and waited until the crowd had calmed down. "The staff of Duel Academy would like to thank Different Dimension Warp for coming to play at our class of 2019 graduation. And now, would Mr. Jaden Yuki come on-stage to give a speech as the top duelist of his class."

Poor Jaden was already half-way down the aisle to the stage when Stein finished. He walked the rest of the way up onto the platform, looking very pale. "Sis, he doesn't look too good," Chazz whispered to his sister.

Alexis frowned worriedly. "I know... I hope he'll be okay..."

"C'mon, Jay-Jay, you can do this," Jayda murmured from her seat.

Hisoka gripped her hand. "He'll do fine, Jayda."

'Yubel?' Jaden sent, feeling very nervous. 'Elemental Heroes? Neo-Spacians? Winged Kuriboh?' Each of the monsters appeared to him as he called out to them.

"You can do this, Jaden. Just focus your attention on us. Imagine that it's just us you're talking to," Yubel soothed, knowing that her friend was nervous.

"Yes, Jaden, we're all here," Neos added kindly. Winged Kuriboh decided to flutter over to the Slifer and sit on his shoulder. The young man, with the presence of his monster family was now able to face his human friends and family. He stood straight and headed to the podium, full of confidence.

"Winged Kuriboh," Annie whispered to Violet, pointing.

Violet nodded. "I see him. Looks like Jay remembered Tyson and Sy's advice," she whispered back, smiling.

"Yeah." Jaden laid down his notes and grinned. "Hey, everybody! I know that's not the way these speeches are normally done, but well, my fiancée reminded me that I need to be me when I'm giving a speech." He took a breath. "So that means I tell you a bit about my three years here and what that time has taught me. When I started here, I was a pretty lousy student. I just made it into school on my entrance exams and then I was late for my practical exams. But then I dueled a teacher. He wasn't sure I'd do well, but I beat him. Now, you might think that was the best part of my first Duel Academy experience, but actually, that day, I made the first friends I'd had since I was seven. The first friend I met that day was a huge brown ball of fur with little angel wings and green paws. That was the day I started seeing duel spirits again. And then I met my best human guy friend, Syrus Truesdale. When I was seven, I stopped being able to see my duel spirit friends, and I lost all my human friends. But on that day, almost three years ago, I started getting something I'd lost back. I had friends again... friends who wouldn't ditch me. So the first thing I learned here was how strong friendship could be."

Syrus smiled broadly. So far Jaden's speech was going great, and he felt joy at Jaden's acknowledgement of him. Hearing that he'd made Jaden so much happier made him happier too.

"The second thing I learned was that people aren't always as they seem at first. There's a guy in the crowd here who seemed... well, he kinda was a jerk at the start of the school year, but I didn't know why. But then I found out a lot about him... All he wanted was what I had in my mom and dad. He wanted a family that loved him. That guy became my fiancée's younger brother. And once we all got past his anger, Chazz was a great guy."

Chazz, sitting in his seat, grinned. "Thanks, Slacker."

"I learned that from all my friends," Jaden continued. "Nobody's quite what you think they are when you meet them. We all wear masks, especially in high school. We try to be what we think is the best thing to be. Some of us try to be ultra popular by being comedians, the ultra-cool cheerleaders, the tough guys or girls... or we realize we're supposed to be ourselves. It's the being ourselves that's the most important thing. And that's something we all need to remember. Now the third thing I learned was that sometimes life is going to throw you some crazy things...I've had some crazy duels in the past three years. I've dueled students, teachers, super villains and... Oh yeah, I've even dueled Death. Yes, everyone, the story about the Deathly Hallows just might be true!"

Everyone chuckled in the audience at that one. When the laughter died down, Jaden continued, "Anyway, those duels were absolutely crazy and... the truth is I might've gotten tired of dueling, but I didn't. I know things will work out eventually. So anyway... I have had an awesome three years in high school and to all of you who are still coming up, remember that your real friends will be there for you, and you just have to go with the flow of life! Thank you, everybody!" the young man finished.

The entire crowd stood, giving the once-Slifer a roaring round of applause. No one cheered louder than his friends and family, though. A lot of people in the crowd hadn't thought Jaden had it in him to give such a great speech.

Jaden's closest friends clapped until their hands were tingling. "That was amazing," Annie stated.

"Wow... NICE JOB, SARGE!" Tyson shouted as Jaden made his way off the stage with a huge smile on his face.

"Yeah! GO JADEN!!" Violet yelled, grinning.

"That was great, Jaden!" Syrus called as his best friend passed his row.

Jaden stopped and pulled Syrus into a hug. "How did I know that was going to happen?" Zane Truesdale sighed, laughing as he sat with his mother and father.

"It's Jaden," Will answered calmly.

Darla nodded, smiling happily. "He's a second brother to Syrus. They're closer than just friends by now..." Syrus grinned happily and hugged Jaden back.

"Thanks, bro," Jaden said softly as he hugged Sy.

"No problem, bro. You did awesome," Syrus whispered back truthfully.

"Thanks," the other boy answered, releasing. "See you when we've graduated..." With that, he headed back to his seat.

After Jaden took his seat, everyone took looks at their programs. "Hmmm... they didn't say... who the special speaker is," Bastion said, looking at his program. "That's odd..."

And in the auditorium, the students looked at each other in shock. "We don't know who the speaker is," Annie murmured.

"That means it's gonna be someone really, really good or really, really bad," Violet replied seriously.

And then Chancellor Shepherd came to the podium. "Well, everyone, as you can see, there is no name in the special speaker section of your program. That is because we had to conduct this in the utmost secrecy. This person we selected is well-known to all of you. He is one of the four co-founders of this school, and is a legendary duelist. He was the champion of Duelist Kingdom, Battle City and the Kaiba Corporation Grand Championship..."

"Oh my gosh," Annie muttered as it dawned on the crowd.

"It's gonna be Yugi!" Violet whispered loudly, excitement obvious in every student there.

"Yeah! Sam Hill!" Tyson gasped, looking down at his fiancée, grinning excitedly.

"This should be good!" Rosa added, grinning as well.

"You know him best as the King of Games... And so, without further delay, I am pleased to introduce Yugi Muto, the King of Games!" Shepherd finished. And then, the room figuratively exploded. Applause filled the room, along with shouts, cheers, and whistles. One couldn't even hear themselves think with how loud it was.

Even the usually calm Aster Phoenix was whooping as Yugi stepped onto the stage. He waved to the audience and headed up to the podium. A hush fell over the room as he straightened the microphone. "Um... Hi," he grinned. "Hi, class of 2019! I'm glad to be here at your graduation..."

In the crowd, a few students yelled, "WE LOVE YOU, YUGI!"

He grinned and waved. "Anyway, I've gotten to know a lot of you in the past few years. Some of you, I remember seeing your pictures or actually seeing you. You were bright-eyed little kids, excited to duel or trying to figure out what you wanted to be. And now here you are, graduating from high school." He looked around at the smiling, eager faces. "You've heard great advice from two of your classmates today. In fact, I'm not going to repeat what they said. What I will say is this: Go into the world with your friends at your side. No matter what comes your way, with your friends at your side, you will weather the storm. And don't be afraid to tell them your troubles. They will be there. So class of 2019, I am honored to speak to you today and see you through to the next chapter in your lives. Thank you!" Yugi stepped away and bowed slightly. And as predicted, the school and guests again burst into a standing ovation. The King of Games stepped off the stage and sat down next to his wife. "Did I do okay, Tea?"

Tea smiled and took his hand. "You did great, Yugi. They aren't just applauding like that because of your fame, you know."

"Remember how nervous I was at the Grand Championship when Mokuba asked me to say something?" he asked her, smiling slightly at the memory. He'd been at KaibaLand Anaheim and scared out of his wits that he had to give an impromptu speech opening the Grand Championship.

She laughed a little. "Yeah, I remember. You did fine back then, too. You've gained confidence over the years, though... and that's good."

"Yeah... Atem mentioned when he found himself back in Egypt, he said, 'Um... hi,' to the crowd. He actually said he was glad they didn't have 24-hour media back then..." Yugi couldn't help but chuckle at that. "He'd seen how world leaders are treated if they're the slightest bit unsure, even on the first day... I understood that."

"Well, luckily they considered him to be a god, so... I doubt they'd try anything. And he was a good leader," Tea replied with a nod.

"Yeah, he was," Yugi answered softly.

"Daddy, how much longer?" Little Yugi whispered.

"Yeah, Dad...how long?" Temmy echoed his twin brother.

"Just a little longer, boys. And sit like Lil and Sophie..." The two Muto girls were staring up at the stage, waiting for the graduates.

"And now," Chancellor Shepherd said after reading the letters of congratulations from the state governor, two senators and the President of the United States, "Class of 2019, you are receiving your diplomas! Aaron Abraxas Aaronsen!" he called out as a boy with red hair came up to receive his diploma.

"Here we go," Chazz muttered.

"I'm glad I'm not that guy. His initials would be AAA in an arcade game... it's practically anonymous," Atticus whispered.

Alexis sighed. "Somehow I was expecting a different reason coming out of your mouth..."

And then the names came to the first of their group. "Jesse Rhett Anderson!"

"YEAH JESSE!"

Jesse grinned as he stood, giving the victory sign to his friends and family as he headed up to the stage. When he got his diploma, he held it up in the air triumphantly before heading back to his seat.

A few more names were read and then... "Axel Powell Brody!"

"All right, Axel!" Kassidy shouted.

"HOO-AH!" Tyson added eagerly. Axel sauntered across the stage and got his diploma, smiling slightly. He saluted Professor Viper, who saluted back, and then headed back to his seat.

Jim, nearby, gave his friend a grin and a thumbs-up. "Great job, mate."

"Thanks, man. Your turn in a couple of minutes," Axel grinned as he sauntered to his seat.

A few more B names were read and then moved into the Cs. "Mindy Rachel Carrington!" Mindy raced up and got her diploma, giggling. She blew a kiss to Chazz and headed down to her place.

After a few more C's... "James Irwin Cook!"

Shirley, in her carrier, growled softly as if to say, "It's okay... I'm right here with you." Jim smiled; he'd never do something so important without his best friend. He stood, heading up to the stage to take his diploma. He was the only teen who had an animal companion during the ceremony.

Everybody in his group of friends, his best friend, his best friend's mother, and his own mother began cheering, "AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE! OI OI OI!!!" the cheer of Jim's homeland. Jim blinked in surprise, but then grinned and held up his diploma in response. He never thought he'd be hearing that just for him as he headed back down to his seat.

A few more names were read and then... "Jasmine Marie Fairbanks!" Jasmine headed up to the stage and got her diploma, looking down to the crowd and one particular young man.

"I love you, Atty," she mouthed softly.

Atticus grinned and gave a thumbs-up, mouthing "I love you, Jazzy!" back to her. "GO JAZZY!!" he then cheered audibly. She grinned happily, wishing she could be with him as she headed back to her seat.

And as is the case with most graduations, more names were read. "Adrian Benjamin Gecko!" And then Adrian strode up to the stage, grinning.

"GO BIG BROTHER!!!" Sid shouted eagerly from his seat.

Echo couldn't resist but join in. "Hooray Adrian!"

"GOOD JOB, SWEETIE!" Rachel added. Adrian couldn't help but blush and took his seat.

And then it was to the H's. "Violet... it's us!" Annie muttered. She looked like a frightened kitten.

Violet sent her friend a confident grin. "I know! Isn't it exciting?!"

"Exciting... maybe... Oh, I'm nervous!" Annie admitted.

"Private Annie, it's all right," Tyson tried. The girl's blue eyes still were very fearful.

"Annie, chill. You're just going up, grabbing it, and coming back down," Violet soothed, sweat-dropping.

"I'm just worried about tripping..." And then she got up and had to follow the person in front of her and then...

"Anne Charlotte Hanson!" The golden tassels signifying her status as a student graduating with high honors flapped around her neck as she walked across the stage, dazzled a little by the lights. She shook Chancellor Shepherd's hand, took the diploma from Doctor Crowler, and headed back down the stage.

And then it was Tyson's turn. Today, instead of the bandanna, he wore his mortarboard cap on his head as he headed up to the stage. "Tyson Schwarzkopf Hassleberry!"

"THAT'S MY BOY!" Lily and Dean shouted at the tops of their lungs.

"GO TYSON!!" most of their group yelled.

"Hooray for Ty-Ty!" Rosa shouted in Spanish from her seat. Tyson gave his fiancée a grin and headed back down to his seat.

Behind him was Violet. "Violet Angeline Haverbrook!"

In the infirmary, Bastion pumped his fist. "Violet, love, you rock!" he tried to shout, but it came out hoarse.

Violet grinned and bounded up the stairs onto stage, and for a moment it looked like she might tackle-hug the chancellor and teacher. But she stopped short and enthusiastically shook Shepherd's hand, taking the diploma from Crowler and holding it high. As Violet's friends and family cheered, she held up the rocker's signature hand sign and then headed down to her seat.

"YAY SISSA!" Haylee crowed.

"Ha, she actually did it," Bobby muttered, receiving a prompt smack to the head from his mother. "Ow!! I mean, uh, GO VIOLET!!"

"The rivalry will never die," Alan sighed, sweat-dropping.

Barbara's brow twitched. "That may be, but as long as I'm around they'll at least respect each other."

"Yeah, honey... that's true."

More names were read and then Chancellor Shepherd cleared his throat. "I hope I get this right... Rosadina Terelino Jimenez-Rodriguez!"

"YEAH ROSA!" Tyson whooped, along with his family and all of their friends.

Rosa sweat-dropped when the chancellor said her long name, but felt better when her fiancé and the others cheered her on. She walked up onto stage and gladly shook his hand, taking her diploma. Before she headed back down to her seat, she knew she had to do something. "VIVA LA DUEL ACADEMY!"

Everyone cheered at that. The names went on and then in the middle of the M's a huge view screen came on. "Can you hear us okay in the infirmary, Dr. and Mrs. Misawa?" Chancellor Shepherd asked.

Hiro nodded. "Yes. We can hear you just fine, Chancellor."

"Okay, sweetie, this is all you need to do," Katai said, helping her son sit up. Bastion nodded. And for the benefit of the crowd, Chancellor Shepherd explained briefly about Bastion's illness.

And then, he stated, "Graduating valedictorian, Bastion William Misawa!" Bastion with the cap on his head, gave everyone a thumbs up. And Dr. Nakamura handed him his diploma. And for what seemed like the millionth time today, the crowd stood, clapped and cheered.

"YOU'RE THE BEST, BASTION-BABY!!" Violet cheered, using her natural loud voice to shout over the applause and shouting.

Bastion heard and answered audibly, "You are, darling..." The crowd of course, "aww'd."

"That is so sweet," Annie sighed happily. "Violet... he's great."

Violet blushed bright red; after all, that was a lot of people. She giggled a little and looked lovingly at her fiancé. "I know..."

Now that Bastion's part was done, the live camera showing him in his room was shut off. "I did it," the young man sighed tiredly as he sank back against his pillows.

Hiro was smiling ear-to-ear, though it was hidden by his mask. "You did, son... Your mother and I are so proud of you..."

"Thank you, Dad," Bastion murmured sleepily.

Katai gently removed the graduation cap and brushed his bangs as he fell asleep. "He did it, Hiro... our boy graduated..."

Hiro had to remove his glasses to brush away a tear or two, tears of pure joy. "I know, darling... he made it..."

Back in the auditorium a few more M names were read, then Ns, Os and finally, Ps. And then... "Aster Edward Phoenix!" Several of Aster's fan girls squealed as he strutted across the stage, took his diploma and did the Moonwalk.

"Show off," Zane muttered, laughing a little.

Darla sweat-dropped. "Now, Zane... if I recall, you were rather proud when you received your diploma." The teen hadn't gone as far as Aster, but he had certainly strutted on and off the stage like the proudest of peacocks.

"Mom... I didn't do the Moonwalk," Zane groaned, "and I tied in my graduation duel... Though I think Jaden threw that duel..."

"No, you didn't do the Moonwalk. And as for that duel, you did wonderfully, honey," Darla replied, patting her son's hand and giving him a smile.

"Thanks, Mom..."

"A few more letters and it's Sy's turn," Will smiled.

"Yes, it is. I just hope I don't cry..." Darla had cried when Zane had walked up to receive his diploma.

"I brought Kleenex, Darla, don't worry," Will soothed. But Darla would not be the only mother crying today.

The chancellor moved smoothly through the Ps and Qs and came to the Rs. And then he paused before saying, "Alexis Harper Rhodes, Atticus Lee Rhodes and Charles Xavier Rhodes..."

The siblings looked at each other and as one moved on stage. "What's going on?" Chazz whispered.

Both his brother and sister shrugged, just as confused as he was. "Well, whatever it is, we're gonna find out," Atticus whispered back.

Andrew Shepherd smiled kindly at the three siblings. "This is the first set of siblings like this to graduate from Duel Academy. Atticus should have graduated from this school two years ago, but due to strange circumstances, he could not. He returned to us when his sister was a freshman... And then last summer, the Rhodes siblings increased by one when Charles Xavier Princeton, known best to our school as Chazz was adopted by Jack and Scout Rhodes. These three have had a hard journey together and that is why they must graduate together," he concluded. He and Doctor Crowler gave the three Rhodes kids their diplomas. "Congratulations," the teachers murmured.

Up in the seats, Scout was crying happily. Jack kept his arm around her, handing her some tissues. "It's okay, Scout."

Alexis smirked. "Well, we're graduates, bros."

Atticus grinned broadly and wrapped an arm around each of his siblings. "Yeah! And you know what? I don't mind graduating a few years late if it means I get to graduate with my little brother and sister!"

Chazz couldn't talk; his throat was so tight with emotion. But arm in arm, the three stepped off the stage to thunderous applause. "We did it," he said over the cheers when the knot went out of his throat.

"We did, bro!" Atty answered, smacking the other lightly on the back.

They sat down together, happy, as Chancellor Shepherd moved on to the other Rs, then to the Ss. And then... "Syrus Aiden Truesdale!"

"I LOVE YOU, HONEY!" Annie yelled over the cheers.

Syrus blushed slightly as he stood and headed to the stage. Darla started bawling by the time he reached it, unable to hold the tears of happiness back. The short teen shook Chancellor Shepherd's hands and accepted the diploma from Dr. Crowler, turning to head back with a broad smile.

And then Zane in the hush of the crowd shouted, "Good job, Sy! I'm proud of you!"

Syrus froze for a moment, eyes wide with surprise. He almost couldn't believe he'd truly heard those words coming from his big brother. An overwhelming happiness filled him, as it seemed he'd finally done what every younger sibling wanted to do. Make their older brother/sister proud of them. He found himself so glad by this that tears brimmed his eyes, broad smile growing even more. "Zane… big brother... thank you!!"

Zane had to wipe away a tear himself and feeling a little choked up, he gave his brother a thumbs-up. Annie got up from her seat as Sy came down from the platform. "It's okay," she whispered, handing him tissues.

"Th-thanks, Annie," he whispered back. Syrus gladly took the tissues and quickly took his seat, the warmth from Zane's statement staying with him. Annie had to go back to her seat, and was smiling at the gift her future brother-in-law had given her husband to be.

There were only a few students with Us and Vs in their names and a few Ws. There were no Xs and it was onto the Ys. And then... "Jaden Kiyo Yuki!"

Among the loudest cheers were his parents. "GO HONEY!" Jayda shouted, whistling as well.

"YOU DID IT, SON!" Hisoka yelled, clapping louder than anyone.

Alexis cheered almost deafeningly from her seat. "HOORAY FOR JADEN!!"

"YAY SLACKER!" Chazz whooped, and all of the gang had their own good wish expressions.

And then Jaden stopped on the stage after getting his diploma. He grinned wickedly and unzipped his graduation robe. "Oh, no!" Annie groaned.

"Oh, no!" Tyson yelped.

"Oh no!" Aster sighed.

"OH YEAH!!!" As if the statement in itself wasn't already funny, the fact that four different people had shouted it at once only added to the hilarity. Violet, Atticus, Bobby Haverbrook, and Alexis were the culprits, both surprisingly and not surprisingly.

The room exploded in laughter, especially when Jaden revealed his Kool-Aid Man t-shirt over his blazer. "OH YEAH!" he whooped triumphantly. The teachers' jaws had all dropped, anticipating that they had been about to see all of Jaden Yuki that there was to see.

"That was... unexpected," Jean-Louis Bonaparte stated to a very stunned Ben Stein.

Ben sighed and rubbed his temples with a hand. "Expect the unexpected with these students, Jean. Expect the unexpected..."

"Yes... school will be dull without them..."

Jaden trotted off-stage to wild applause as his mother sat laughing softly. "Oh, my goodness..."

Hisoka sighed. "Thank goodness that wasn't a repeat of church..."

"Yeah, he's not so cute anymore..."

Jaden was the last Y student and after four Z students, Chancellor Shepherd smiled. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present the class of 2019!" With that said, all of the students in the room stood from their seats and cheered. Caps were tossed high into the air, and quite a few of the brand spanking new graduates who had worn clothes under their robes slipped out of them.

_So everyone graduated and no one died. Next time, we join the gang for their graduation party! So tune in next time for "Graduation Part II!" Thank you!_


	50. Graduation Part II

Chapter L: Graduation Part II

_Hello, true believers! And welcome back to __**Darkness Falls**__! Thanks again for all your reviews and for reading as always! It's fun to see what you think and to know that you're still with us! _

_So the inevitable has happened. The gang graduated together and Yugi was the special speaker. Everyone walked the line in his or her special way, and Jaden faux-flashed the crowd with a Kool-Aid Man t-shirt. And now, we come to a party!_

_**Disclaimer: **__Do we own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise? We don't think so. We do own our OCs, this storyline… well, you get the idea. We don't own anything we could profit from._

As soon as they were able, the group of close friends pulled together. "We graduated," Jaden whooped again.

"And we made it through our speeches," Annie said happily.

"And no one did any mooning!" Violet added with a grin. She sweat-dropped at some of the looks she got.

"That would've been gross," Axel groaned.

"Yuck," Adrian added.

"You have no idea," Violet, Alexis, and Jesse all muttered at the same time.

Annie flushed. "You guys, too? I think Father Mulcahey nearly had a heart attack when it happened at my eighth grade graduation..." A boy in her class had decided to bare his rear and everyone had been decidedly chagrined.

"Elementary school," Violet stated.

"Soccer game," Alexis sighed.

"Birthday party," Jesse added, cheeks reddening.

As the group groaned, Zane Truesdale made his way through the crowd to his brother. "Hey, Sy," he greeted, smiling.

Syrus grinned, and didn't hesitate to hug the taller boy. "Hey, big bro. Thanks again... for what you said earlier..."

Zane hugged back. "I am proud of you and I love you, little brother. Don't you forget it... and we're going to be in the pros together..."

"Yeah, and we'll be glad to have you as competition," Aster grinned.

Syrus's eyes widened. "Wow... Guys, it's hard to believe we're finally here... We'll be starting the rest of our lives out of school soon..."

"Yeah... wow... we're adults," Chazz stated solemnly. "It's a little scary... I don't feel like one..."

"Do any of us, really?" Jaden wondered. It was the question many young adults ask upon reaching milestones like high school or college graduation. Were they really adults and why didn't they feel like it?

Violet scratched her head. "Now that you mention it... I feel exactly the same."

"Maybe that's how we're supposed to feel," Mindy realized. "I mean, it's not like we've learned everything about being adults. So it's okay. We're still going on to college or the Pro Leagues... and getting jobs... We're just learning to be adults..." It was perhaps the most profound thing Mindy Carrington had ever said, and everyone realized it.

Alexis stared at her friend in surprise. "Wow, Mindy. That... that actually makes a lot of sense."

Mindy herself looked stunned. "I guess it does... Wow, I said something smart."

"Mindy, you are smart. You don't let it out that you are that often, and you should," Chazz stated, putting his arm around his girlfriend.

"Thanks, Chazzy," she smiled, kissing him on the cheek.

Yusuke trotted over to the gang from what was now referred to as "the lost class." "Hey, guys, congratulations!" he grinned. "Zane, good to see you again, man!"

"We're all back together, Yusuke... man, this is weird," Zane admitted.

Atticus nodded, but grinned. "It's weird, all right. But it's great, too! Together again after years, the trio of Horakhty pros!" he exclaimed happily as he wrapped an arm around each of them.

"Yeah... and get this, guys... Atticus, your mom invited me to stay with you guys over the summer!" Yusuke grinned.

"Oh, no," Zane mock-groaned. "Domino needs to plan for Armageddon... again..."

Atticus pumped a fist into the air excitedly, only to have his ear grabbed and tugged upon by his sister. "Atticus, you are NOT going to wreak havoc upon the city. Understand?" she asked in a commanding tone.

The older boy sweat-dropped. "Uh, yeah, I understand..."

"Do I even want to know?" Chazz wondered.

"Uh... not really," Zane groaned softly. "That prank at Horakhty was legendary..."

"The one where Yusuke hung up your underwear on the flagpole or the one where I painted the dorm like a Hawaiian shirt?" Atticus asked after Alexis had released his ear.

"That's the one," Yusuke answered, laughing. That memory was fresh to him. "Hard to believe it was 5 years ago," he sighed.

Atticus sighed with him. "Yeah, but hey! Now we can make up for lost time, buddy!"

"Yeah... this is going to be great," Yusuke stated. "And now... WE PARTY!!!!" The young man's periwinkle eyes shone eagerly at the prospect of getting back some of the time he'd lost while trapped in that other world.

"YEAH!" Jaden whooped. "I wonder if Yugi dances?"

Alexis sweat-dropped. "Jaden, everyone dances. It just depends on how well they can dance..."

"Yeah, you're right, babe," he grinned sheepishly. "We've got to see Bastion first, though, guys."

The others nodded in agreement. "Let's go!" Violet exclaimed, excited to see her fiancé.

GXGXGXGXGXGX

The group of friends got out of the auditorium and headed straight down the hall. Dr. Nakamura was waiting for them. "Good news, guys, you don't have to suit up. Bastion's past the contagious period."

"That's a relief," Chazz remarked. "My nose itched behind the mask!"

Violet grinned excitedly. "Now I don't have to change so much when I go to see Bastion!"

"That's right, Violet... But you still can't sleep in the same bed with him yet," Alex Nakamura explained.

"That's what I thought," Violet sighed.

The gang headed into the room eagerly. "Hey, everyone," Bastion greeted weakly.

"Hey, Bastion-baby," Violet greeted, going to his side and gently giving him a hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Better since you came... You looked wonderful getting your diploma," he said softly.

She grinned. "And you were great getting yours. I'm glad you heard me in the crowd."

"That I did... Jaden, Annie, you both did splendidly," Bastion stated, holding Violet's hand.

Annie blushed. "I had to leave your Trek line in the final product."

"Yeah... Zefram Cochrane..."

"Who?" Jaden asked for everyone, and then... "Oh, he was the guy the B-Borg were trying to get... right?"

"Right, Jaden," Bastion confirmed.

Nearly everyone looked stunned. "Uh... how do you guys do that?" Chazz wondered.

Annie and Bastion sweat-dropped. "How do we..?" Bastion asked Annie.

"Probably watching that movie about... how many times?"

"Oh... probably about 100 times," he answered.

Violet sighed. "You guys need to explore a little outside of the sci-fi genre for once."

"We do, darling," Bastion protested.

"When was the last time?"

"Sy and I sat through 'Sleepless in Seattle' three weeks ago," Annie answered.

Bastion was lost in thought. "Hmmm... when did I watch a movie last?"

Violet thought back to the last time she and Bastion had watched a movie together... and then realized they hadn't. At least not recently. "You know what? When's the last time we watched a movie together at all??"

"I don't think we've watched a movie since before Christmas," he remembered. "And then we read a lot by the fire..."

She smiled. That was before all of the problems they'd been forced to deal with from Darkness. "Yeah... Like that Dickens novel."

"Yeah... 'The Cricket on the Hearth,' I think it was," he answered. "Oh yeah, the romantic version of 'A Christmas Carol,'" Annie remembered.

"The romantic version?" Syrus asked, confused.

"It was one of Dickens' Christmas stories, but it was about a girl who was being forced to marry a guy who was as cold as Ebenezer Scrooge," Annie explained. "She ended up marrying her true love hours before she'd marry the meanie. But like Scrooge, the guy had a change of heart and let her be with the guy she loved. So it was the romantic version of things."

"I guess we're more into reading together than watching movies together, Bastion," Violet stated, grinning sheepishly.

"Well, that's us, darling," he smiled tiredly.

"Yeah, and books are better than the onscreen adaptations. Remember how much they cut out of the Harry Potter movies?" Annie asked, groaning.

"Oh yeah. That's because otherwise they would have been hours long," Violet answered, nodding.

"The second movie was majorly long," Jaden remembered. "Mom had to have an intermission!" And everyone laughed at that.

Bastion coughed a bit at the end. "Oh, pardon me," he apologized.

"It's okay, Bastion. You're still sick," Alexis reminded.

"Yeah. Are you okay?" Violet asked, looking at him in concern.

"Just a bit tired," he said softly. Bastion wanted so badly to be part of the celebration, but his body was in no condition to allow him. He wouldn't let them know how he felt entirely, though.

"We wish we could bring you to the party, Bastion," Jasmine said regretfully. "You should be part of this..."

But to everyone's surprise, Bastion kept a smile on his face. "I'll dance with Violet at our wedding..."

The smile on Violet's own face was indescribable by expression. "Oh, Bastion..." She leaned down to hug him tightly. "I can't wait..."

"We'll get lots of pictures, bro," Jaden promised.

"And we'll bring you cake," Annie added.

"Thank you," the sick young man stated tiredly in his love's embrace.

Part of Violet wanted to stay with Bastion so that he wouldn't feel left out. But she knew that would only make him feel guilty, that he was keeping her from having fun at the party. So she pulled out of the hug as they got ready to leave. "I'll see you when we get back..." Bastion gripped her hand as the others left the room, a signal he wanted to say something for her ears alone. Violet waited, and the rest of the gang seemed to get the hint as well and left the couple alone. "Bastion?"

"Don't worry... I want you to have the time of your life, Violet, love. I want to see pictures of you happy and having fun," he explained gently. "I wish I could be with you out there, but since I can't be, I want you to have twice the fun... Please, darling. Do that for me."

She blinked in surprise, but then grinned and squeezed his hand. "Of course I will, Bastion-baby. I'll have so much fun, that when I get back you'll be able to feel it too!"

Bastion smiled back. "I look forward to it, darling... Go out there and show them what random geniuses can do." He'd known she would feel guilty about leaving him in the infirmary with his parents and Dr. Nakamura, and he wanted her to be happy and free on this day of celebration. Besides, this evening, they'd have a quiet dinner together.

"Will do, Bastion-baby!" Violet gave him a quick peck on the cheek and a grinning wave, then left to catch up with the others. She was looking forward to their dinner later on, but right now she had a promise to fulfill.

Katai, Hiro and Alex stepped back into the room. "Honey, are you sure you're all right?" Katai asked gently, brushing his hair with a non-gloved hand for the first time in a few days.

"Yes, Mum... She needs to be happy and have fun, even if I can't be there..."

Hiro smiled. "She will have fun, my boy. And I know for certain that she's looking forward to tonight."

"Yes, she is... And you'll enjoy the dinner, Bastion. I made sure it's something you can both enjoy," Alex smiled.

"Oh, good," the boy said before his eyes began to close. "I'm glad..."

As he fell asleep again, Alex reassured the worried parents. "Sleep's a good curative. His body's working to fight it off..."

"But we still have the low point coming, don't we?" Hiro asked with a frown. They hadn't forgotten what the doctor had told them.

"Yes we do... I'm watching him carefully. We've got the machine ready too," Alex explained. "If this were a less severe case, he'd be improving a lot quicker. But even though this is a non-resistant strain, it's hit him hard. I can hear it in his lungs, and the point where his lungs are going to nearly shut down will be soon."

Hiro wrapped an arm around his wife. "Do you have any idea of how long we have until it happens?"

"Judging by the way he's breathing, we have maybe a day. There's damage to his lungs and all the measures I've done should lessen the resulting damage."

"Damage?" Katai asked, brown eyes wide with a mother's fear.

"The little parts of his lungs are being damaged by the stuff in his lungs, Katai. He's been coughing a lot up, but not as much as he should be, and that stuff is clogging and harming his lungs. Among other things, that could cause pulmonary fibrosis. But since we're on top of this, I think we'll avoid it..."

Hiro let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness..." The possibility of avoiding more problems always came as relief to a parent.

"Hiro... we're going to beat this... Your boy's tough... Everybody talked about what happened when your daughter-in-law was brought in and how hard we heard he fought."

"I know... Katai and I are so proud of how strong he's become. Both mentally and physically. And he'll get through this as he has all the other obstacles he's come across..."

Alex nodded. "The mental and his friends around him may make all the difference..."

GXGXGXGXGXGX

And as the parents and doctor sat with the young sick graduate, his friends and beloved headed to the school gym where the party was in full swing. Yusuke snickered as he walked next to Zane and Atticus in the hallway toward the second level. "Did you do as we planned, Atticus?" he asked softly, as Zane raised his eyebrows.

Atticus grinned and gave a thumbs-up... the thumb covered in the remnants of red paint. "Of course I did! Didn't think I'd forget something so genius, did you?"

"Atticus... what did you two do?" Zane asked in alarm.

"Oh... we made a modification to the graduation banner," Yusuke answered snarkily.

"Oh, lord," the Pro League duelist groaned.

Atticus snickered. "You'll see, Zane! Yusuke's the one who came up with the idea... I just did the last minute painting." And then on the ground floor, Professor Bonaparte pulled the string attached to a huge banner that was supposed to say "Welcome Graduates!" Instead it said, "Loe Grades!" Everyone laughed.

Alexis's brow twitched as she stood beside her fiancé. "My 'Atticus is behind this' senses are tingling..."

"I think we all figured that, Lex," Jaden groaned softly, laughing a little. "His lettering was pretty good..."

Alexis sighed. "I just hope he doesn't pull anything else during the party..."

"Knowing Atticus and the fact that he has his two best guy buddies together with him again... he probably does..."

"Well, as long as it's nothing really bad, then I don't mind. I mean, what else could they have planned?" Violet stated.

"Violet, do we really want the answer to that?" Annie sighed.

But everyone resolved to enjoy the party. And as the teachers pulled down the... modified banner, Yugi offered his hand to his wife. "Shall we, Teá?"

Teá smiled and took the offered hand. "Of course, Yugi. Lead the way."

The King of Games led his queen out onto the dance floor. He cued the DJ, having picked a song for his wife earlier. The song was a Neil Diamond piece called "You are the Best Part of Me." "I thought this fit us," he said as they began to spin, glad he'd gained a little more height.

"Oh, Yugi... I love this song. And you're right… it does fit us," she replied softly. Dancing was still a little bit awkward between them since he was shorter than her, but they got around that problem. She let him lead like always, her blue eyes staring into his amethyst ones. Teá had taught Yugi a few moves over the years, since dancing was her passion.

He had indeed picked up what she'd taught him, and twirled her effortlessly. "Think we could do a lift?" he asked.

Their lifts ended in one of two ways; he lifted her beautifully or he was crushed under her taller stature and heavier weight. So they only tried the move every so often. But Yugi had been working out a little.... "We can try," she answered, grinning.

"Let's do it, Teá... We can do this," he said, preparing himself.

She nodded, gripping his shoulders. She would help him as much as she could when he lifted her, but it was all up to him once he was in the air. "All right, Yugi. Let's do it."

He picked her up as the music swelled, raising her above him. Several cameras in the room snapped as the King of Games held his lovely wife above him. And then, his arms started to wobble. "Teá... I'm losing..." And then his arms gave out.

"Yu-GI!!" Teá's question turned into a yelp as she found herself falling, crashing down onto her shorter husband. It wasn't the first time, but every time it managed to catch her off-guard.

Sophie, Little Yugi, Temmy and Lily raced out onto the dance floor to help their parents. "Mommy, Daddy, are you okay?" the twin boys asked at the same time.

Yugi was crashed onto the floor, looking stunned. "Ouch," he groaned.

"Mommy fell on Daddy again," Sophie stated.

Lily crouched down beside her parents. "Mommy and Daddy get boo-boos?" she asked.

Teá groaned, most of the wind knocked out of her since she'd landed on her stomach. She quickly moved off of Yugi, not wanting to crush him more. "I'm… okay. Yugi?"

Yugi sat up, still a little dazed. "Yeah... honey, I think I need more practice and workouts at the Kaiba Corp Gym..."

Teá sweat-dropped. "Well, you did hold me for a good few seconds there. You're getting better..."

"Yeah..."

The couple and their children then got off the stage to a heavy round of applause from the graduates. "Okay, so are we doing our routine now?" Jasmine asked curiously.

"If we're ready," Annie answered. "Violet, this song rocks!"

Violet grinned excitedly. "I know! It's the perfect song for us to dance to!"

Alexis sighed. "I just hope my brother doesn't try anything while we're dancing..."

As the girls chuckled at that, three figures took position above the dance floor. "Guys... if we're caught..."

"Hey, at least I can't get expelled... Besides, Crowler adored me..."

"And I'm already graduated! So they can't touch me!" Atticus stated with a broad grin.

"So I guess I'm screwed if we get caught," Yusuke groaned.

"Nah," Zane answered, nonchalant as usual. "You were gone for four years. You'll be fine."

Atticus nodded, holding a large box like the other two boys. "And besides, we're NOT gonna get caught!"

"Your sister is going to kill us, you know," Zane said drily. "She'll know it's us..."

Atticus sweat-dropped. "I know... BUT IT'S TOTALLY WORTH IT!!"

Fortunately, no one but the co-conspirators heard the recently graduated young man's exclamation. And so the six Obelisk young women strode out onto the floor in different styles of brightly colored dresses. Alexis was wearing a strapless sky blue gown, while Mindy and Jasmine were clad in gowns with single sleeves in yellow and green, respectively. Annie wore an amethyst-shaded gown with short sleeves, while Violet wore a raspberry pink halter-top gown. And then Rosa was wearing a long-sleeved red gown with a long skirt slit halfway up the right mid-thigh. Tyson's jaw dropped. "Sam Hill, she's gorgeous..."

Rosa grinned when she saw Tyson staring at her and winked. She had said that he'd never seen her in the dress she would be wearing. Syrus would have teased Tyson, but he was way too busy staring at his own fiancée. "Wow... she's beautiful..."

The other guys were equally stunned. "You sure you want to do that to Jasmine, Atticus?" Zane asked from their position. "She'll understand it's a prank, but...she might think you don't like her dress..."

Atticus closed his gaping mouth and quickly pulled out a pen and piece of paper. "I thought this might happen, so I came prepared," he answered as he wrote something, then folded the paper into an airplane. "I'll just send her this as we make our getaway."

"Oh, brother," Yusuke sighed again. And then the girls signaled the DJ and the first notes of "Waking Up in Vegas" began to play. The girls began to twirl and jump. They shimmied, shook and spun, dancing, hands clasped in a circle. And then they got in line, adding hand motions as if they were playing poker, the slot machines and roulette. The young women pulled together at the end of the song, and posed like they were cowgirls with guns. And then disaster struck.

Water balloons rained down upon them, some hitting the floor while others hit the girls directly. At the same time, water balloons were thrown into the crowds to hit other people as well. Several screams rang out, and everyone was looking around, wondering who could've done this horribly wet prank. "Three guesses as to who did this," Annie growled, her temper coming up as a balloon had hit her directly.

"I don't need three guesses; I'm going to go and tear off THREE HEADS." Alexis growled in a dangerously low tone of voice, fists clenched. She had been hit directly by not one, but THREE water balloons. Needless to say, one could see the steam shooting out of her ears. And then something else flew down from above, but it wasn't another water balloon. It was a paper airplane.

Jasmine caught it. She opened it, and read the carefully worded apology. "He is so DEAD!!!" she shouted.

Yusuke had chanced to look down at the now furious young women. Consequently, he made a grave conclusion. "Dude, you're gonna die..."

Atticus's head dropped. "I know... but, like I said: TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!"

"WORTH IT?!" Jasmine's shriek rang out.

"YOU GUYS ARE TOAST!" Mindy added angrily.

Atticus's pupils shrank. "Crap. They heard me. I'M SORRY, JAZZY!!!"

"OH, YOU'LL BE SORRY WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!!!" Alexis yelled, eyes burning hot enough that her fiancé dared not intervene. And she wasn't the only one. Rosa let loose a string of Spanish that sounded threatening even to those who didn't know a word of the foreign language.

And Annie, in a rare display of temper, shouted, "On behalf of the Moon, I'm going to kick your butt!!!" Her eyes were flashing and there were anger marks on the usually placid girl's face.

"Just you wait until I get my bazooka, you three!!" Violet added angrily, stomping her foot.

Yusuke was puzzled. "Uh... bazooka? Aren't those banned?"

"Not a potato gun... RUN!" Zane shouted as the girls advanced on them.

"Should we intervene?" Dr. Crowler asked, being one of the chaperones for the event.

"No... let them enjoy the chase. They won't do anything serious," Andrew Shepherd answered.

"Though I still feel slight pity for what those three are going to be put through," Ben Stein stated, pushing up his glasses. "As the saying goes, 'Hell hath no fury like a woman's wrath'..."

"That's very true," Thelonius Viper sighed. "Good thing I never got married..."

GXGXGXGXGXGX

Fortunately for the three young men, they were only taken to the school pool and shoved in. Everyone wet went and changed clothes and the party continued without further disruption. In the evening, Violet returned to the infirmary, a big piece of the graduation cake with her to share with everyone. "Hello, love," Bastion said as she entered the room. "Did you have fun?" he asked hoarsely.

She grinned and nodded. "Yup! Well, aside from the part when we got soaked..."

"Got soaked?" he asked curiously, eyebrows raising. "How did that happen?" She sat down in a chair beside the bed and told him about the water balloons. Bastion started to laugh. "How did I know they'd pull... something?" The laugh turned to a cough again, but nothing came up.

Violet patted his back, taking his hand. "Are you okay, Bastion?"

He panted a minute, trying to catch his breath. Finally, he nodded. "I'm okay... just worn out..."

She frowned a little. "Do you want to rest?"

"For a moment," he answered, smiling. "Did you bring pictures?"

Her grin returned. "Yeah!" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a large stack.

Bastion sat and looked at all the pictures and again laughed seeing Violet and Annie viciously shoving Zane into the pool. "You were rather angry, there..."

Violet sweat-dropped. "Oh, you should have seen Alexis and Rosa... now THAT was scary..."

Bastion looked at said pictures, sweat-dropping at the image of Atticus doing a comical belly-flop into the pool after his sister and her friend virtually threw him in. "Oh, goodness... Poor Atticus... But... he should've known..."

She nodded. "He had it coming. I'm pretty sure he's the one who came up with the prank, anyway."

"Undoubtedly," the young man answered. "Now... shall we have dinner?"

"Sounds good. But are you sure you're up to it?" Violet was worried that he should be resting instead.

He nodded. "We'll have it in here together, darling. We need to celebrate this night..." He reached and brushed a bang out of her soft, sweet face.

She smiled and leaned into his touch, heart melting. "All right. Let's celebrate together."

"Glad to hear you're ready, Bastion. We'll bring in the dinner, kids," Katai smiled as Miss Fontaine also entered the room with a hotel style room service cart. "Professor Sartyr made a fairly light but filling supper for you two... Lobster chowder, some bread and a nice Caesar salad."

"And for dessert, he can have some of the cake I brought, can't he?" Violet asked, a begging look in her eyes.

"Of course," Fonda answered, smiling.

"Hooray!" Violet cheered happily.

The couple ate their well-prepared and delicious dinner and just as they finished the cake, Bastion could barely keep his eyes open. "This filled me up," he smiled sleepily.

Violet sighed contentedly, cuddling as best as she could with him from her chair. "Me too... Are you as tired as I am?"

"I think I am, love," he answered, eyes closing. "Just stay with me for a bit..."

"Will do," she muttered, her own eyes closing.

It was a few minutes before Miss Fontaine, Katai, Alex and Hiro tiptoed into the room. "They're both so tired," Katai murmured, gently lifting Violet over to her cot.

Hiro sighed. "They both had a long day, even Bastion though he stayed in bed. At least they enjoyed themselves."

As Katai and Miss Fontaine got Violet into her pajamas, Alex examined Bastion's latest blood sample readouts and the young man's hands and lips. The genius's hands and lips were paling, but not yet the bluish tone that indicated cyanosis. "His oxygen level is starting to really drop now."

"So then... it's going to happen soon, isn't it?" the father asked gravely.

Katai looked up from Violet's bed in fear. "How soon?"

"It's hours now... I'm not sure how many, exactly," Alex answered seriously. "But by tomorrow, he'll be on the respirator..."

Hiro frowned deeply and went to his wife. "Then... we'll be ready, when it happens."

_Well, the gang graduated, partied, and no one died. In the Yugi-verse, that's some kind of miracle that they get through a milestone without death and destruction by some sort of huge monster or evil force trying to take over the world. And it seems Bastion is still in danger. Next time, please join us for "Breathe 2 AM." Thank you and see you next time!_


	51. Breathe 2 AM

Chapter LI: Breathe 2AM

_Welcome back, everyone! We hope you had a merry Christmas and for our UK readers, a happy Boxing Day to you all! And a happy Kwanzaa to our African-American readers! We're sorry, again, for another delay. This again was Peach's fault as she spent quite a few days finishing a Christmas present for her parents. It involved being off the computer and staying up until 3AM Christmas Eve to finish the thing. Anyway, so here's the next chapter!_

_**(Star Trek computer voice comes on)**__ Last time on "Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Darkness Falls…" __**Visuals of the gang's graduation…**__ And now, the continuation._

_**Usual disclaimer:**__ Please check back in the past few chapters to check what we own and don't own. Thank you._

The night drifted over the academy and many parents left the school with their children. Annie hugged her parents and brother goodbye with promises she'd see them sooner rather than later. The remaining group did the same, though Scout remained at the school, prepared to do what she had to. "Jack, I'll call you... the kids are going to need me here..."

Jack nodded as he hugged his wife. "I understand, Scout... You do what you can to help, I'll hold down the fort back in Domino."

"It's going to be rough... Alex thinks it'll be tonight."

"Well... just call if you need anything, honey. Even just to talk."

"Thanks, Jack," she said, kissing him softly.

"No problem, Scout. I'll talk to you later..." And Jack got on the boat back to Domino.

"Sy... take care of Annie," Zane told his brother. "You probably already have been told... but she's going to need you through this with Bastion..."

Syrus nodded. "I know, Zane. I will..."

"And let her take care of you, too. You're gonna get stressed out and the last thing we want is Mom panicking." Zane said this with a slightly naughty smile. The Truesdale boys both knew their mother would be a nervous wreck if her youngest son and future daughter-in-law were possibly overworking themselves.

Syrus grinned. "All right, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, big bro..." he said as he hugged the taller boy.

And then, everyone who had come left the island, and the grounds were quiet. "It's almost like our own private kingdom," Annie sighed as she walked back to Obelisk with Syrus.

"It does feel pretty weird... I mean, there are even less people here than during the breaks..." Syrus agreed, holding her hand.

"Yeah... the only people left are the teachers, Blair, Marcel, Yusuke, Scout, Dr. Nakamura, the Misawas, Belowski and our entire group... I kind of like that," she smiled and then sobered. "Except for Bastion being so sick..."

He sighed both in happiness and in worry. "Yeah... And Dr. Nakamura says tonight it'll happen..."

"He's preparing us... And the worst-case scenario is Bastion's lungs are too badly damaged..." Annie had read everything she could about what Bastion was facing and it truly frightened her.

"But he said that was a low risk, right?"

Annie shivered. "Yeah... and the other thing is that the respirator could hurt him too..."

"It could?" Syrus asked in surprise.

"If it's the wrong pressure... it could be damaging to his lungs," she groaned sadly.

"This is bad..."

Annie nodded, shivering. "F-fortunately, Dr. Nakamura is one of the very best... He'll know the pressure Bastion needs..." She recognized the confused look in his eyes. "There has to be a certain air pressure for his lungs to work right. Too little and he can't breathe, and too much means his lungs will get hurt." Annie shivered again. "Sy... I'm scared..."

Syrus wrapped his arm around her, pulling her to him. "I... I am too, Annie... But... it'll be okay... it has to be..."

"Yeah...I should be able to pull myself together... Doctors can't lose it like this," she groaned. Annie knew that being unable to detach herself from the situation could be a major hindrance in her preferred line of work. And yet she couldn't yet detach her emotions.

He frowned. "Annie, you're not a doctor yet. It's okay to be scared... Besides, even doctors are scared sometimes. Mom gets scared."

Annie sighed. "I know... Honey... whether or not I make it into the profession, I'm glad I have you with me..."

Syrus smiled a little. "You will make it, Annie. And I'll always be with you to help..."

They held each other for a long moment, drawing strength from each other. They headed back up to the dorm and then Annie got a smile on her face. "I just realized something..."

Syrus blinked. "What?"

"We have the entire campus to ourselves... and that includes the girls' wading pool hot springs," she said, smile broadening into a grin.

"What..." He blushed as it hit him. "O-Oh."

"Maybe we could go and soak," she continued.

"Uh, okay..."

She looked at him, noticing her fiancé's tomato red blush. "Are you okay?"

He sweat-dropped. "Um, y-yeah... Were you, er... going to wear a swimsuit?"

She blushed. "Uh... do you want me to? Or... would you prefer the traditional way?"

"Uh... uh… um..." He was blushing fire red; that wasn't a question he wanted to answer.

She blushed as red as is humanly possible. "Uh... should we... wear suits and see what happens?" 'OH CRAP! THAT SOUNDED WRONG!' her mind screamed at her. And in her mind, chibi Annie was running around, freaking out.

He face-planted. 'THAT SOUNDED WRONG!' he thought, twitching.

"Uh... oh, gosh! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she apologized. "Sy, I... oh gosh!" It was times like this Annie almost wished she'd faint again.

He gave her a sheepish grin, sweat-dropping. "No, no! It's okay, Annie! It was an accident!! I know you didn't mean it… like… that..."

"Oh, I'm such a moron... I... don't know what I mean anymore..."

"Annie, we've all said stuff like that on accident..." he soothed, going to her.

She was shaking. "Sy... I... Darn..." She took a deep breath, enfolded in his arms. "Suits... definitely..."

He nodded. "Good idea."

GX GX GX GX GX

The entire gang managed to fall asleep and all was peaceful on Academy Island, but at two AM, the sound of very labored, fast breathing rang through the infirmary. "It's started," Scout gasped.

"Yeah. His lips are blue. We have to move fast," Alex Nakamura stated briskly, getting the ventilator.

Violet was awakened by the commotion and groaned tiredly, rubbing at her eyes. "What... what's going on?" she asked through a yawn.

Bastion's very shallow breathing quickly got her attention. "Hang on, sweetie, we're all here," Katai murmured. The young man's skin was turning blue with the effort of trying to breathe.

"Violet, Bastion's entered the stage where he needs the respirator," Hiro explained quickly as the girl slid out of bed.

Violet's eyes went wide. "HE'S WHAT?!"

Scout and Alex moved with the respirator. "Starting intubation procedure, and tube is anesthetized," Scout stated, surgical mask, gown and gloves in place. Alex had done the same thing and now held a metal instrument in his hands, placing it down Bastion's throat. And then Bastion stopped breathing.

"Hang on, kid," Alex muttered. "Fonda..."

"I'm on it!" she said, starting to pump the boy's chest.

Katai, desperate to do something, moved to hug Violet. "He has to go on the respirator, sweetheart..." But all Violet could see was the person she loved most in the world, and the fact that his chest wasn't moving. For the moment, shock hit her hard, and she didn't move. The shock was so great that she hardly breathed, even. But the shock wouldn't last forever...

The tube was placed, the machine started, and Bastion's chest rose and fell again. "There we are... he should wake up in a few minutes," Alex said in relief.

Violet's breath hitched in her throat, as the shock finally wore off. He'd stopped breathing. His skin had been tinged blue. Memories of her nightmares with him dead flashed through her mind, and it sent her over the edge. "He... he's dead," she whispered shakily, eyes wide.

"No...no, honey... he isn't," Katai tried to soothe the frightened young woman. "He's breathing again..."

But Violet's eyes were clouded over by what she'd seen and what she'd dreamt about. "No... he's dead! I saw him! He was blue!!" Tears began gathering in her eyes as the false reality of it hit her hard.

"Violet! Honey, he's not!" And then Katai realized. "Hiro, call Annie!" Hiro quickly grabbed the phone and dialed the landline to the couple's dorm, hoping they'd hear it and wake up.

Annie had slept fitfully so far that night, so when the phone rang, she darted back into wakefulness. She picked up the landline phone and answered, "Hello?"

"Hello, Annie. It's Hiro. I'm sorry to wake you so early, but it's an emergency," Hiro explained how Bastion had stopped breathing and was now on a respirator. "...and he's breathing normally now. But I'm afraid it scared Violet into hysterics. We can't seem to calm her down and need your assistance."

"Oh, my gosh! Of course, we'll be right there!" Annie promised, saying good-bye and hanging up shortly thereafter. "Sy, honey! We have to get to the infirmary!" she said, shaking him awake.

"H-Huh? What?" Syrus mumbled groggily as he opened his eyes, propping himself up on an elbow.

"Sy... Bastion stopped breathing and they had to put him on the respirator," she stated, grabbing her overnight bag and pulling on her leather-bottomed slippers.

"What!?" he gasped, quickly putting on his glasses.

"Yeah... And Violet's hysterical..."

"Oh, no..." Syrus groaned as he slipped on a pair of shoes and grabbed his own overnight bag. They'd both packed one since whenever Annie went, Syrus would go with her.

"Yeah... Hiro told me Bastion turned blue..." And then Annie picked up her PDA and hit the emergency beacon. And all over the academy, the students remaining woke up.

In Obelisk Blue, Adrian's eyes widened. "Oh, crap..."

Echo groaned as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "It must have happened..."

"Yeah... we've gotta move..."

And down at Slifer, Jaden was, for once, up like a shot. "Oh, man! Lex, get up! It happened!" His eyes widened with fear.

Alexis gave a half-sigh, half-yawn as she sat up. "I'm up, I'm up! Come on, let's get going."

Within minutes, the whole group was in the infirmary. "Violet! Violet!" Annie cried out, hugging her best friend. "Bastion's breathing..."

"No, he's not!! Annie, I saw him!! HE'S DEAD!!!" Violet moaned, crying hard as her entire body shook.

"Violet, get control of yourself!" Annie moaned, hugging her tightly. "Bastion's alive! Hiro told me and I'm looking at Bastion!"

"That's it!" stated a familiar voice. Suddenly, Violet froze, and then her body slumped against Annie's.

"Mary?" Annie gasped, eyes wide. She held the limp body, and then felt it come back to life. "Is that you?"

Violet's head lifted to reveal reddish-brown pupils in place of green. "Of course. Who else would it be?"

"Do you know what happened?" Annie asked softly.

"What happened?" Mary asked for clarification.

Annie quickly told Mary what she knew. "...So Bastion's okay for now...But Violet wouldn't believe it," she concluded sadly.

Mary sighed. "Oh, boy... this is where my actions come back to bite me in the as-er, butt..."

Everyone sweat-dropped, knowing full well the word she'd been intending to use. "Mary... do you think you can help Violet calm down and see the truth?" Annie asked.

"Probably. Main reason I took over is because right now she just needs to be alone and try to calm down. Then I'll talk to her," Mary explained.

"Okay... hopefully, Bastion will wake up soon... He actually stopped breathing," Annie shivered.

"Wait, I thought that wouldn't happen!" Jaden yelped.

"It was a possibility... a slim one," Annie reiterated. "And it happened..."

"So now he's on a respirator?" Alexis asked.

"Yes, he is... It's acute respiratory distress and his lungs have been damaged... It's going to be a while before he's fully recovered," the dark-haired girl sighed, knowing the implications.

"Annie, hang on," Axel said. "How long are we talking?"

"We... may be here until August... and then, after that, he'll still have to get his strength back..."

"August?!" Jesse, as well as a few others, yelped.

Jaden's eyes widened, but he wasn't one of the yelpers. "That long? But...isn't that best-case scenario?"

"Yeah... It depends on how badly the lungs were damaged."

Jaden looked very thoughtful. "Recovery time is 6 months at the earliest... But he might be strong enough to get through the wedding and stuff by August..."

"Oh, man... this is really bad," Syrus groaned.

"It's better than what it could be," Jaden sighed. "Some people don't survive the first couple of days..."

"Yeah," Annie added. "But... he's going to make it..."

Miss Fontaine stepped out from the ICU room and said, "You kids can see him now..."

"Is he awake, Miss Fontaine?" Atticus asked.

"Not yet..." Annie quietly took Mary/Violet's hand to reassure her friend if she could.

The nurse took a breath. "It may be a little bit longer before he wakes up. His breathing was so labored... It probably wore him out..."

Mary looked at Annie, feeling the slim hand clasped around her own. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry, Mary," Annie whispered back. "It's just... I know Violet would be scared, and since you're part of her... Maybe you're scared too..."

Mary raised an eyebrow. "Uh... no... If there's one thing I'm not scared of, it's death."

"But... you both care about Bastion..."

"Not the same way she does."

"No... but you are part of her, and that means you do care about him," Annie persisted softly. "So this might upset you a little..."

"I'm fine," Mary stated firmly.

"Okay... but I'm here if you two need me," the other girl answered as they stepped into the room. Bastion was lying in the bed unconscious, skin very white and a tube taped securely to his mouth. The machine that helped him breathe made a soft whirring sound and the other machines made beeping sounds.

"Private Bastion," Tyson whispered, visibly moved. Mary was probably the only one not moved or saddened to some degree as she crossed her arms over her chest. This was nothing compared to some of the numerous gruesome thoughts she'd had.

Everyone had certain degrees of distress, but Annie, though she had known the most about the disease, knew now why physicians don't treat their family members. She burst into tears. Syrus swallowed hard and moved to her, pulling her into a hug. He felt like crying too, but focused on comforting his fiancée who was like a sister to Bastion. He rubbed her back soothingly and held her close to him.

Scout moved close to her children. "He will wake up... maybe you all would like to stay in here... And if there's not enough room here, one of the classrooms could be an extra room..."

Alexis was frowning deeply. "That might be a good idea, Mom..."

"Okay... I'll help you kids set up..." As it happened, there was plenty of room in the outer hospital area as the couples didn't want to be separated. Jasmine looked nervously up at Atticus as she laid a sleeping bag on a large air mattress.

Atticus grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck with a hand. "Uh..."

"Do you... want to… uh..?"

"I.. I don't know... Are you... okay with it?"

"Uh... yeah... if... you are... I mean... we aren't as serious as the others... Are we?"

"Ummm.... well, we're still… only... dating..."

She nodded. "But... we'll be in separate sleeping bags..."

He sweat-dropped. "Yeah, so... it's not like we're sleeping in the same bed or anything..."

Jasmine blushed rosy red. "Uh... if you're not ready... it's okay... And I didn't mean to be so forward..."

Atticus quickly shook his head, a light blush on his own cheeks. "No, no, it's okay... You weren't forward at all."

"So... should we? Or do you want to wait?" she asked shyly.

"Well... if… you're okay with it, and... I'm okay with it... then... I guess we can... do it..."

Jasmine blushed deeply. "O-Okay..."

"I m-mean, if you don't want to..."

Jasmine nodded. "I want to, Atticus... And this is a good way to just talk..." Atty nodded, face beet red. As much as he had always bragged about girls, this was definitely new to him.

Across the room, Chazz and Mindy decided to sleep on separate mattresses but hold hands. "Mindy... it's going to take a while before I'm really ready for us to..."

"I understand," she stated gently as they got comfortable. "We'll just relax here, and someday we'll sleep closer..."

Adrian, setting up a futon, asked, "Echo, is this okay?"

Echo nodded. "Yeah, that's fine." Adrian had laid down two sleeping bags and a couple of pillows and so the two climbed in. The young man looked over at the light of the infirmary ICU, concern in his eyes. Echo caught it. "Adrian... he'll be all right. He's in good hands..."

"Yeah... but it's like when Sid was so little," he answered softly.

"Adrian... are you upset because you can't find a cure for this like you did for Sid?" she asked gently.

He nodded. "I've never liked being powerless, Echo..."

She sighed and propped herself up on an elbow, looking down into his eyes. "Adrian, you're not powerless. Even in this case."

He looked up into her eyes, and saw that she truly believed it. Even so, he asked the question. "I'm not?"

She shook her head. "Of course not. You're here, supporting Bastion and those close to him, aren't you? You are helping... without you there'd be one less shoulder to lean on. And I think they need all the shoulders they can get..."

Adrian considered that. "Maybe... sometimes that's all a person needs to do, isn't it?" he said with a slight smile.

Echo returned the smile. "Yeah. Now you're getting it."

GX GX GX GX GX

One by one, everyone got comfortable in their makeshift beds. But back in the ICU, Annie sat between Violet and Bastion's beds. 'I have to stay here,' she thought, face and eyes set.

Violet was asleep; Mary had explained to her what was going on once she had calmed down. Syrus now walked over to Annie, sitting in a chair beside her. "Are you okay, Annie?" he asked quietly.

She nodded. "Yeah... I'm glad Alex talking the Misawas into taking a rest and Scout too... I have to stay here so when Violet wakes up, she has someone to talk to."

He sighed, gently taking her hand. "I'll stay here too... I want to help."

"Okay," she smiled, squeezing the hand wrapped around hers. "I am going to owe you later..."

He smiled as well. "You don't owe me anything, Annie..."

"Not even a backrub?"

"Well.... okay."

She smiled shyly. "Yeah... you'll get sore from sitting up with me..." And then she added, "These chairs aren't exactly the most comfortable."

He sighed again. "We've spent a lot of time in hospital chairs, though..."

"Yeah... too much time," she answered, also sighing. "I just hope the next time we're in hospitals, it's for our children being born..."

He blushed a little. "Yeah..."

GX GX GX GX GX

It was well into the next morning before Bastion awoke. His eyes opened to see the people he loved around him. "Bastion... you're awake," Violet breathed. Seeing his eyes open with any remote amount of life practically made her faint with relief.

Bastion tried to speak but found that he couldn't. Annie moved to him with a pad and paper and he wrote, "What happened, darling?"

Violet frowned. "Bastion, you... you stopped breathing last night... They… had to put you on a respirator..."

"Respirator?" he wrote.

"Yeah, Bastion... your oxygen levels dropped too low and we had to help you breathe," Alex stated, coming into the young man's field of vision. "Your breathing stopped for a minute or two and we got you going again."

"Thank you..." And then... "Violet... darling, I'm sorry... You must've been terrified..."

Violet took his hand. "I… I was. But, Bastion-baby, you don't need to be sorry at all. You didn't do it on purpose... and I'm just so glad you're okay..." She felt like she could have cried.

Bastion used what strength he had to squeeze her hand gently. And again he wrote, "I know it wasn't on purpose... I just wish I hadn't done it..."

"Bastion... sweetheart," Katai soothed, coming to where her son could see her, "don't blame yourself..."

Hiro came into view as well. "Your mother is right, son. You shouldn't blame yourself for any of this. It won't help... no matter how much you feel this is your fault, it's not."

Bastion would've sighed if he could have. But he knew they were right. "So how long am I on this machine?" he wondered.

"All right, Doctor Annie, how long?" Alex asked the young woman and physician-in-training.

"Could be a couple of days, but it could be as long as a month, and if it's more than two weeks, you get a trach tube," she said to the young man in the bed.

"Not a trach tube," Bastion wrote, noting that he meant to groan.

"Uh... what's a trach tube??" Violet asked.

Bastion decided he'd write it down. "They put a tube directly in my throat, darling. They have to cut a hole about here..." And then he pointed to a point on his throat. "And they put the tube in there..."

Violet's eyes went wide and she visibly tensed. "No freaking way! You can't get one of those! It sounds painful and really uncomfortable..."

"It'll help him, though, Violet... And it'll help him breathe stronger later," Annie soothed. "See, if he's on this style of ventilator too long, it'll make his lungs weaker. And it'll be harder to get him off the respirator when it's time..."

"B-But… still... surgery?" Violet looked paler than normal at this thought.

Annie put her arm around Violet, seeing the drop in color. "Yeah... but it's very routine. They even do it as emergency procedures."

"Is... is it permanent?"

Alex took charge here and shook his head. "No, it's not. And the throat will heal and he'll be fine, but I hope it doesn't come to that point."

Violet sighed in relief. At least if it happened, it wouldn't be like that forever. "But... do you think it will?"

Alex smiled thoughtfully. "I don't think so, but we do have to watch him carefully."

"That's good..."

Bastion looked thoughtful for a moment. "Violet... think we could watch a movie?" he requested.

Violet blinked in surprise. "A movie?"

"Yes... something fun... And I'd fall asleep if someone read me a story now," he admitted.

She smiled. "All right. We can watch a movie."

"How about... 'Meet the Parents?'" he suggested with a slight smile.

She grinned. "Sure!"

And so the couple, one sick and one healthy, sat together watching the movie. Alex stood and escorted Annie and Syrus from the room. "You two need to rest now, okay? Miss Fontaine is coming on duty and Scout will in a couple of hours when I go off-duty..."

Annie sighed. "Do I have to?"

"'Fraid so, kiddo..."

"But..."

Syrus took Annie's hand and squeezed it, giving her a reassuring look. "Annie... you need to rest too, remember? We both do... They'll be okay..."

Annie looked back at her friends, and sighed. "All right..."

"Good girl... Syrus, can I talk to you alone a minute?" Alex Nakamura asked gently.

Syrus blinked in surprise, but nodded. "Okay... I'll be there in a minute, Annie."

Annie stepped away to give them privacy and Alex took her love aside. "Keep her relaxed. Annie's got the dedication to be a doctor, but she still needs to relax," Alex cautioned. "I know you've heard this before... Just keep her happy, calm and relaxed. Do whatever you need to do to accomplish that. "He took a deep breath. "She might work herself far too hard..."

Syrus nodded, but sweat-dropped on the inside. How many times was he going to be told that? He knew already. "Okay."

"She's stubborn, isn't she?" Alex asked curiously. He'd observed the girl and noticed she could be.

"Yeah... she can be sometimes," Sy admitted.

"And you've been warned repeatedly to keep her relaxed because she works herself too hard, right?" the doctor asked with a wry smile on his face. "You're tired of hearing it, aren't you?"

This time, Syrus sweat-dropped on the outside, grinning sheepishly. "Uh... yeah..."

"Well, you know what you need to do, Sy. Just make sure she relaxes," Alex stated.

Syrus nodded. "I will."

And so he walked back to Annie, who looked at him knowingly. "They're worried about me...again..."

"Well, Annie, you push yourself sometimes..."

An anger mark appeared on her head. "Again with that," she groaned softly.

He sweat-dropped and placed a hand on your shoulder. "Annie... don't be mad... You just need to worry about yourself a little more."

She calmed down, but still managed to look frustrated. "I just... I want to experience what I missed, you know?"

"Uh... no," he admitted, grinning sheepishly.

She sighed in frustration. "I missed so much being sick... And I want to push because I don't know all of what I missed..."

He frowned. "Annie... you have a long time to learn all of that. You don't need to push... There's no rush..."

She gazed at her love for a long moment as they walked out of the infirmary and onto the grounds. "I think you're right..." They walked for a long moment in silence and then Annie continued, "Maybe I just need to slow down..."

Syrus smiled a little. "You just need to think about your health too, Annie."

"Yeah... hey, honey? Would you like that back rub before we go take a long nap?"

He blushed a little. "Uh, sure."

"Okay," she answered. "Mom gave me some pomegranate patchouli body butter... and some lilac... you can pick what you want..."

They got to their dorm fairly quickly and changed into fresh nightclothes. "Okay... which would you like?" she asked, pulling out a few different body butters.

"How about the lilac one you mentioned?"

"Okay." Annie picked up the butter and the room was perfumed with the light scent. "This smells like your mom's garden," she breathed.

Syrus sighed, closing his eyes. "Yeah, it does..."

When he was clad in his pajama bottoms and shirtless, the girl clad in a pink nightshirt guided him to the bed on his belly. "Just relax," Annie murmured, getting the butter on her hands and then rubbing his back.

"Okay..." Syrus kept his eyes closed, glasses on the bedside table. His head was using his folded arms as a pillow as he breathed in and out, loving the feeling of the massage.

She was straddling him and moved her slim yet somewhat strong hands up and down his back. "Sy... maybe we should have a group movie night again..."

"Hmm?" he asked, his mind starting to drift off as her hands kneaded his flesh.

"I was thinking since we'll be here a while before the wedding that maybe we should do like we did back in Domino last year... It might be fun," she said, rubbing at his shoulders.

"Sounds… good," he mumbled, extremely relaxed.

"Yeah..." She moved down to his lower back. "You're tense here," she murmured, eyebrows knitting together.

"Maybe from sitting in those hospital chairs," he murmured back.

She moved her thumbs at one spot and felt it relax. "Better?"

He let out a heavy sigh. "Yes..."

"Good," she smiled. "Anywhere else that's sore?"

"Um... my neck... right between my shoulders..."

Annie moved up, having to stretch out her body a little so her belly was lightly touching his back. She began to rub where the shoulder met the neck. "Tell me how hard or how soft to go..."

Syrus shivered a little when her stomach touched his back, but then let out a soft groan when she started to work the muscles in that spot. "Harder..."

Annie knew logically that there wasn't a double meaning in his words, but she colored. And she rubbed harder. "Better or harder?"

Syrus couldn't even contemplate a double meaning, too lost in comfort. "Harder..." He could feel the muscles in his shoulders and neck coming loose.

She rubbed harder. "Better or more?"

Syrus opened his mouth to say "better", but out came a soft moan instead. He blushed fiercely, having not even been expecting that. Annie sensed what he meant and rubbed with the same pressure. But she was willing to guess his body was sending him the same signals her body was sending hers. "O-okay..." Her cheeks went bright red.

Syrus bit his bottom lip. His body and mind were each telling him to do something different, and he couldn't decide which to follow. She rubbed slowly and lovingly and then stopped. "Sy... where else are you sore?" she asked in a slightly nervous voice. 'Why am I nervous?' she thought, heart pounding. And then she pulled back, trembling.

He opened his eyes, looking back at her over his shoulder. "Annie?"

She panted a minute or two, getting her head together. "Was that doing to you what I think it started doing to me?" she asked finally.

He flushed. "M-maybe..."

"It's... it's all right... I mean... we should've been on our honeymoon by now," she sighed.

He rolled over, propping himself up on his elbows. "Yeah... this is normal..."

"Yeah." She lay down next to him, cooling down. "We should be... you know... But... now isn't the time, is it?"

He sighed and shook his head. "No, it's not..."

"Well, why don't we try to get some sleep?"

"Good idea... Alex did tell us to rest."

"Yeah..." They snuggled close together, and Annie breathed in Sy's scent mixed with that of the lilac body butter. "You smell so nice..." And then her cheeks pinked again.

He blushed as well. "Uh... thanks, Annie..."

"It's like last summer... all over again... but now... we have all the time in the world," she murmured sleepily.

He yawned. "Yeah... all the time in the world..." And within seconds, they were fast asleep.

GX GX GX GX GX

As Annie and Sy worked to get to sleep, Alex and Miss Fontaine set up a TV and a DVD for the two in the ICU. "There we are... one romantic comedy," Alex smiled.

Violet sat in a chair beside Bastion's bed, holding his hand and smiling happily. She was glad she could be doing something with Bastion, to keep both of their minds off of the current situation. "I love this movie," Bastion wrote when they were alone and it started.

"I actually haven't seen it before," Violet admitted, sweat-dropping.

"You haven't?" And then he drew an x and a D to indicate mirthful laughter.

Violet was glad she knew chat-speak to a degree, and grinned. "Nope. But I've heard about it and it sounds good."

"Mum and Dad saw it when she was pregnant with me. They decided what not to name me because of the movie, as a matter of fact, because of the lead male character."

"Oh? What were they going to name you?"

"Well, they had several names, but they didn't have one particular name on their list. And they said it would be torture to name a boy Gaylord..." Bastion's eyebrows quirked and he wrote, "There were some names they said they laughed over and some they actually considered... They didn't tell me all of them, but they did say they considered the names carefully... Dad got called Zero when he was in school..."

Violet grimaced. "Ouch... Sometimes names can turn on you like that. I know mom and dad thought of naming me Kara. Or, if I had been a boy... Keiffer." She shivered at this, making a rather silly-looking face in disgust.

"After Keiffer Sutherland?"

"Yeah... I'm so glad I turned out to be a girl."

"Why Kara?" he asked curiously.

She shrugged. "My dad liked the name. I'm also glad they chose Violet instead, though. I like it better."

"You wouldn't be anyone else if you weren't Violet, darling... The name suits you, my prized, beautiful Violet," he wrote. It wasn't the most eloquent thing, but Bastion meant to convey how much he loved her.

Violet blushed lightly, then smiled. "I'd still love you as much as I do now if you were named anything else, Bastion. But I love that name... my brave, handsome, strong Bastion." She grabbed his pen and quickly wrote the symbol for their love. V + B equals RG.

Bastion smiled and wrote, "A rose by any other name... And you are my rose named Violet... or Kara..." And then he drew a little face with its tongue sticking out.

Violet cracked up, stifling her giggles with a hand. Her fiancé could be even funnier when he had a pen and pad than when he had his voice. "Now why can't you make that face more often?"

"What? This?" And he drew it again.

She giggled a bit more. "Yes. That. You almost never make that face."

And then Bastion wrote, "XDDDDDDD"

And Violet couldn't help it; she burst into another fit of giggles. "Now, I know you can't make that face, but it would be hilarious if you could!"

"I'm glad I can make you laugh," he wrote happily.

She grinned. "You can always make me laugh, Bastion-baby. Just like how I can always make you laugh." And then she pulled quite the silly face on him.

And again, he wrote, "XDDDDDDDDDDD" He wished he could laugh hard. However, his eyes also conveyed his laughter.

GX GX GX GX GX

As Bastion and Violet enjoyed their movie, the different couples got up and headed back to their dorms to shower and relax. But for three young men in the group, there were no significant others. Aster Phoenix took one look at Jim Cook and Axel Brody and said, "I think we need to do something together, guys..."

"Hmmm, not a bad idea," Axel answered. "What do you think, Jim?"

Jim looked at the two boys in slight surprise, but gave a shrug. Shirley was busy snoozing on his back. "Sure. After all, it seems like we're the only blokes with nothing to do."

Axel sighed. "Well, it's not like we don't have anything to do... We could go swimming at the lagoon..."

"Sounds like a good idea. It's gettin' mighty hot outside," Jim agreed with a nod. Midday during summer on an island meant very warm weather, perfect for swimming.

"Yeah... didn't really realize how it could be here in the summer," Aster said.

"Yeah... better get out the sunscreen," Axel added as they walked to Obelisk.

Jim shrugged again. "This isn't so bad. You should see the summers we have back home. At least here you get a breeze off the ocean."

"Yeah... it can get kinda muggy where I live, Jim," Axel stated. "I live near a town in Oregon and we don't get ocean breezes, either. There is a river in Grants Pass, but still it can get warm in the summer..."

"You live in Oregon, mate? I never woulda guessed," Jim replied.

Axel smirked. "Yeah, guess I never mentioned it. But yeah, Grants Pass, Oregon. You should come visit... You too, Aster."

"Thanks, Axel," Aster answered, grinning.

"Will do, Axel. And if you blokes ever get the chance, you should come visit me in Australia," Jim stated with a broad grin. Shirley, who had woken up, grunted in approval.

The two other young men nodded. And a short time later, they headed to a small lagoon off the main beach. "Oh, man, this is heaven," Axel stated, clad in red swim trunks as he eased into the cool water.

"Yeah... dudes, this is great," Aster added, slipping in as well. He was wearing bright blue trunks with silver stripes down the sides.

Jim was wearing brown swim trunks and followed the other two into the cool water. Shirley slid in as well, quite at home in the little lagoon. However, the Australian teen still wore his hat; it was like how Tyson always wore his bandana. "I'm guessing this is the first time you mates have been in the water with a croc?" he asked with a grin. Of course it was a little joke, since most of the time being in the water with a crocodile meant it was time to get OUT of the water.

Axel nodded. Aster did too. Both were smiling. "Yeah... well, I may have swum in water with a crocodile when I was training with Dad, but there's a difference... Shirley won't try to eat me," Axel smirked.

Jim nodded. "But she WILL snap up anything that IS trying to eat us. She's great at chopping up leeches."

Aster groaned. "Yuck... Leeches... They may have medicinal uses, but man, they give me the creeps..."

Axel sighed, letting himself float on the water's surface. "Ah... well, there aren't leeches here..."

Aster started to swim out himself, doing a leisurely sidestroke. "Nope... no leeches... So Shirley, you get the day off..."

Shirley simply blinked her eyes in response, the rest of her being underwater. Jim had simply been floating and relaxing, when he suddenly grinned again. "Hey... have you blokes ever wanted to ride a dolphin?" The question seemed a bit random, but he had his reasons for asking it.

Axel turned over in the water to look at his friend. "Yeah... it looks like fun..."

"I actually did it once," Aster said. "Kyle took me to Sea World and let me do it... I was about seven... I'd love to do it again..."

Jim tipped his hat up a little as Shirley swam over to his side, getting the message. "Well then... how would you like to ride a crocodile?"

Axel and Aster looked at each other, and then at Jim. "Sure," they answered at the same instant.

"You first, Axel," Aster offered.

Axel swam over to Jim and Shirley, curious and actually excited. "Okay... so, what do I do?"

"It's a lot like riding a dolphin. Well, except not as fast and there's no dorsal fin to grab onto. Just wrap your arms around Shirley's middle, and I suggest hanging on tight. She may not be a dolphin, but crocs are still fast," Jim explained.

"Okay." Axel did as Jim said, gripping the crocodile's scaly yet strong middle. "Hey there, Shirley... Thanks for letting me ride with you...Whoa!" The "whoa" was because Shirley had started moving. And Jim was right; Shirley WAS fast. Not as fast as a dolphin, more like half that speed, but even then it was faster than a human could swim. The lagoon was pretty big, so the turns came every minute or so. The water lapped at Axel's arms and hit his face a little, and he loved it. Shirley knifed through the water quickly and gracefully, nearly as graceful as a dolphin. The young man had a smile on his face as he swam with the crocodile, enjoying every second.

And then Shirley slowed, coming to a stop near Aster. Jim smiled and swam over to them. "That was a good first run, mate! You didn't fall off."

"Thanks, Jim... and thank you, Shirley," Axel smiled back as he patted the croc's head and let go.

And now it was Aster's turn. "Wow..." He really had to stretch to grip Shirley right. "Okay... I think I'm ready..."

Shirley grunted in acknowledgement and zoomed off, going just as fast as she had with Axel. "Make sure to grip her tight, Aster! Ya don't want to fall off!" Jim called.

Aster held on as tightly as he could. He enjoyed the ride, liking the way the water came off of the pretty crocodile and how warm her skin felt against him. But it was hard to hang on. And then, it happened. Shirley came to a stop a few minutes later, putting on the water brakes. Axel had been able to hang on against the force of his body wanting to continue to move forward, but Aster...

Aster couldn't hold on because his fingers had just been barely touching. His already precarious grip broke and he flew forward, away from the crocodile and went under, swallowing a lot of water. The other two boys instantly made their way towards their friend, worried. "Aster!" Jim yelled, as Shirley dove under. The two other young men had been on the other side of the lagoon when Aster was sent flying. A few seconds later, Shirley surfaced with the silver-haired teen on her back.

The silver-blonde came up, coughing out water. "Aster, are you okay?" Axel asked, helping him off Shirley's back and to a rock "seat" in the lagoon.

"Y-Yeah... whoa... I'm... okay..."

Shirley growled softly, nudging his hand with her snout. It was a mix of an apology and worry for his well-being. Jim sighed. "That's good to hear, mate. We were worried about you for a second there."

"I'm... okay... Thanks, Shirley... Not... your fault," Aster managed, laughing a little bit.

"Next time we'll run you a bit slow. Right, girl?" Jim stated, patting the crocodile and grinning. She nodded in agreement.

Aster patted Shirley's snout again, smiling. "Yeah... that'd be good." The young men swam around for a while after that, enjoying themselves.

GX GX GX GX GX GX

As the three single guys enjoyed their swim, Tyson and Rosa took advantage of the large open Obelisk common room. "Never danced alone in here before," Tyson stated, hearing a slight echo off the walls.

"Well, we've never been this alone on the island," Rosa replied as she stretched. She was glad that they no longer had to wear uniforms, meaning she could wear a dress that didn't go with blue. So, she was currently wearing a flowing, ruffled cherry red mariachi dress.

Tyson, too, was dressed down in khaki shorts and a white t-shirt. "Yeah... it's kinda quiet... but kinda nice," he murmured, kissing her.

She gladly returned it, smiling as they pulled away. "It's nicer since it's just us..."

"Yeah... shall we dance?" he asked, offering his hand to her.

"Of course," she answered, taking the offered hand. It had been quite a while since they had last shared a dance together. Rosa was slowly but surely gaining her weight back from being trapped in the world of Darkness. Though she was still underweight, the young woman's eyes had regained their sparkle and her face had started to fill out. But even if she was still as she'd been, to Tyson, Rosadina Jimenez was still the most beautiful woman in the world to him.

"How about the Paso Doble today?" he asked.

She smirked. The Paso Doble was her second favorite dance, the mariachi being first, of course. "Sounds good. But can you keep up?" she teased.

"You bet," he grinned.

They had brought an iPod with a bunch of dance music on it and Tyson hit the button to start the music. They began to dance together to the traditional Paso Doble music. The young man felt the music overtake his mind and heart, and he did as it demanded.

Rosa sighed happily and let her body move on its own, knowing the steps like the back of her hand, though she was a little rusty after such a long period of not dancing. They spun around with the fire of youth, he the matador, she, the fictional bull. Despite her rustiness, they still moved as one.

They finished their dance and Tyson noticed Rosa was a little out of breath. "Darlin'... are you okay?" he asked.

Rosa sighed, feeling more tired than she usually would after a dance. "I'm fine, just... a little winded..."

"Let's get you over to the couch," he murmured, giving her some support to do so. He meant to help her sit down on the comfortable overstuffed couch but then... "Ouch!" They bumped heads.

She sucked in a breath, closing her eyes tightly and placing a hand to her head. They both had hard heads, and they now realized what happened when said hard heads collided. "Ah..."

Tyson blinked, seeing stars in his vision and crashed to the floor. "Dang it..." He sat up, blinked the sparkles out of his eyes and asked, "Are you all right, Spanish Rose?"

He noticed how dazed she looked. "Darlin', should I get Miss Fontaine?" he probed further, getting up to examine her forehead.

Rosa opened her eyes, shooing away his prodding hands. "No, no, I'm fine. Really," she asserted. Sometimes she hated how he was so worried for her every time the slightest injury occurred.

"Can I at least kiss it and make it better?" he asked softly.

She blinked a few times in surprise, then blushed a little and sighed. "...All right. You can kiss it..."

Tyson brushed back her ruddy-brown hair and tenderly kissed her sore forehead. "All better?" he asked.

Rosa's blush reddened a bit. "Yes," she muttered, a bit embarrassed.

"What's wrong?" he queried, sitting next to her with his arm around her.

Rosa sighed, reminding him of their conversations about him not hovering so much. "You're sort of babying me again, Ty-Ty. I know it is not intentional, but please try to watch it. I'm much better."

Tyson pulled back slightly, and grinned sheepishly. "Well, sorry, darlin'; I guess old habits die hard... But you're sure you're okay? 'Cause I know I'm gettin' a headache," he admitted, rubbing his own sore spot.

She chuckled lightly. "Well, it does still hurt quite a bit. We hit our heads pretty hard... I suppose we're lucky that we both have hard heads."

"Yeah... should we get some ice?" he asked, the spot on his head really stinging.

She sweat-dropped. "That might be a good idea." And so they headed to their room to get ice packs.

GX GX GX GX GX

On another part of the island, on the far side of the beach, Jasmine Fairbanks nervously held a beginner's surfboard. "I... am really not sure about this..." She was clad in a surfer's wetsuit, colored in shades of blue.

Atticus Rhodes grinned and put an arm around her. "Aw, come on, Jazzy! You'll do fine! Besides, I'll be right there for you the whole time."

"Okay... Just... show me what to do, okay?"

"Don't worry, I will. Here, let's start out on the sand, okay? Lay down your board."

Jasmine did. "Okay... now what?"

"Now lay down on it, like you were swimming out into the waves." Atticus laid down his board as well and demonstrated.

Jasmine followed his movement, smiling a little now. "This isn't so bad..."

Atticus grinned. "See? I told you. Now, you want to get up fast, but not so fast that you lose your balance and fall off. You do that when you see a wave coming, and you want your back to it." He again demonstrated this.

"Okay..." This time she stood up as he demonstrated, but fell to the sand. "I... think I need to try that again..."

He smiled and helped her up. "It's okay. You might not get it the first few times. That's why we're practicing on the sand first."

"Thanks for being so patient with me, Atticus," Jasmine sighed.

Atticus's smile turned into another grin. "You're my girlfriend, Jazzy. Of course I'm going to cut you some slack. Besides, even I wasn't perfect as a beginner."

The redheaded girl blushed at the thought of a young Atticus trying to get up on a surfboard and falling off. "How old were you when you started?" she queried as she tried to lie down and stand up on the board again.

"Four." He answered, standing nearby in case she lost her balance again.

And she did, falling back into his arms. "Wow... that was young... Who taught you?"

He grinned. "Well, at first, Dad tried to. But he wasn't very good at it... Then we met this surfer when we were practicing at the beach once, and he helped me. After that, he was pretty much my first idol and he taught me a lot about surfing."

"That's great... I think he was a good teacher, because you're a good teacher," she said, blushing in his arms.

He blushed a bit too. "Thanks. I was hoping I was doing this right."

"It seems right to me..." They practiced a few more times before going out on the water. She stood up as he'd taught her. "I'm doing it, Atty!"

He gave her a thumbs-up, also standing on his board. "That's it, Jazzy! Just focus on keeping your balance!"

She did pretty well until a huge wave came up behind her. "Whoa... WHOA!!" And then she wiped out.

"Jasmine!!" He dove in after her, putting an arm around her as she came up. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah... Can we... try again?" she asked as soon as she could speak.

He smiled. "Sure thing, Jazzy. You sure you're okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah..."

"All right, then. Let's get you back on your board."

"Okay." She got back on, and they caught another wave. This time, she rode it into shore.

He cheered, running over and lifting her off the ground with his hug. "You did it, Jazzy! You managed not to wipe out! And only on your second try!!"

"That's good?" she asked, letting the sun shine on her.

He laughed. "Of course it's good! It took me three tries before I got it on the fourth!"

"Beginner's luck, Atty," she said, standing on her toes to kiss him.

He kissed back, still smiling when they broke away. "Well, we'll see about that. Want to head back out and practice some more?"

"Sure, if you want to," she answered, taking up her board.

"Jazzy, I'm always up for hitting the waves," he replied, grabbing his own board. And so the couple headed back out into the ocean together.

_Despite the medical drama, we still managed to have fluffiness and humor this chapter. Next time, we still have some fun left. So please join us next time for "Story Time!" Thanks and as always, please read and review! Thank you!_


	52. Story Time

Chapter LII: Story Time

_Hello again, readers of __**Darkness Falls**__! We're glad to see you back again! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and we were glad to see the return of some of our old reviewers. If you've just joined this tale and are catching up, welcome! If you've been with us since the debut but never reviewed, don't hesitate to review now. We'd be glad to see you! Anyway, let's get on with the story!_

_Last time, Bastion's pneumonia took a harmful turn, but not an unexpected one. As a result, he was put on a respirator. The gang did different things to relax; among other things, Bastion and Violet watched a romantic comedy. What will happen next? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: -Drags out legal papers- We just own our OCs, this storyline, and our version of the Yugi-verse. We also don't own any comic book heroes. Thanks!**_

The next couple of days were fairly quiet on the academy grounds. Bastion remained on the respirator and Violet never left his side. Annie and Sy spent every waking moment they were allowed to at the infirmary, as did the rest of the group. One afternoon, to keep Bastion entertained, Jaden told a story about the Elemental and Destiny Heroes teaming up with other familiar superheroes.

"... And the Elemental Heroes, partnering with the Justice League, saved the world again," Jaden finished his story.

Violet grinned. "Jay, you're a pretty awesome storyteller. You know that?"

The young eternal Slifer grinned sheepishly. "Was it really that good?" he asked.

"I especially liked when Neos and Superman met up, Jaden. That was funny," Bastion wrote.

"I liked the part where Burstinatrix and Wonder Woman complained about being one of the few female superheroes," Alexis stated with a smirk.

"And then Burstinatrix pounded Hawkgirl for hitting on Avian, and he and Green Lantern got into a fight!" Annie giggled.

"Or when Bubbleman and Aquaman started arguing about which was better... bubbles or water," Syrus added with a laugh.

"I liked how Superman and Neos ended up defeating Brainiac together," Miss Fontaine smiled. "They never managed to on the animated shows really..."

"No they didn't. Brainiac was Superman's nemesis," Annie said. "But that didn't mean Brainiac was undefeatable. So do you want another story, Bastion?"

"I'd love one," he answered, managing a smile around his breathing tube.

"Oh, oh, I have one! Saturnian Necromancer told me about the time when he and the other aliens first met after I finished my deck!" Violet exclaimed excitedly, a broad grin plastered onto her face.

"Sweet," Jaden grinned, attempting to sit cross-legged in his seat and then falling out of it.

Alexis promptly face-palmed and sighed. "Jaden... can we get through a day where you don't fall over?" she asked teasingly.

"I hope so," he answered as he got up, grinning sheepishly.

"Jay, I know how you feel. Trust me," Violet said in pure sympathy.

"Violet... you don't fall over half as often," Bastion stated on his paper.

"That may be true. But I do land on my face a lot more often," Violet reminded simply.

"XDDDDDDD," Bastion wrote.

"But how about we get off the subject of falling and back to story-telling?" she asked, grinning.

"Yeah! I want to hear this, Violet!" Annie said eagerly.

GX GX GX GX GX GX GX

And so Violet began to tell how all of her aliens had first met. According to Saturnian Necromancer, it had been the day she had finally finished her deck. Violet and her family were out to dinner, so the spirits had decided to have a meet and greet in her room.

"Okay! Where are we and who messed up my experiment?!" Martian Scientist demanded angrily, finding himself in Violet's room.

Saturnian Necromancer appeared, floating as usual with his arms crossed over his chest. "We're in the room of our new master and I don't know who messed up your experiment, Martian," he stated calmly.

"I just might mix acids and bases wrong," the scientist muttered.

"Now that I can see happening," Watapon, aka Tiffles, stated as he appeared beside his plush counterpart.

Rallis the Star Bird appeared with the group, a beautiful creature with golden feathers. He wore a green helmet with a white feather at the top and had shining sapphire eyes. He also wore a blue jacket clasped with a starry button and he was wholly convinced that he was the most beautiful of God's creatures. "Well, hello, Violet! I hope you're glad to have me in your deck," he stated, sounding a lot like Gaston from "Beauty and the Beast."

"Silly bird! She's not here!" Winged Watapon quipped as he zoomed past the bird, having a much more childish voice than his brother Tiffles.

"Wing is right. She's out. That's why we're having this meeting now, so that when she returns we'll all know each other," Saturnian Necromancer explained.

Rallis might've said more, but then he caught sight of himself in the glass of a cheetah picture Violet had on her wall. "Ooooh... Who's a pretty birdie? Are you a pretty birdie? Yes, you're a pretty birdie..."

"Oh, bloody gag me already," Storm Warrior of Jupiter, an orange monster carrying two swords, a shield and a wand groaned, face-palming.

"Why would you want someone to do that? It sounds painful! Definitely!" Watapon Totem had appeared beside his brothers, simply three Watapons stacked atop one another like a totem pole. Each sentence was spoken by a different one, though they were all the same spirit.

"It's not literal, my tall friend," Neptunian Ice Warrior stated calmly."It simply means that Rallis is making Storm Warrior feel sick." Neptunian Ice Soldier was dressed from head to foot in beautiful blue robes, so no one could tell what gender the icy warrior was.

"Well, I get sick with what you say sometimes, Ice!" Swordsman of the Solar System teased.

"Swordsman..." Saturnian Necromancer said the other's name in a warning tone. The last thing they needed was a fight on their hands.

A small, blue, eight-legged creature with one eye appeared and scuttled across the pink wall. "Necromancer's right! No fighting, no fighting!" it chirped, single eye looking around the room at them all.

"Crater Jumper, we're not fighting... We're just having some fun," Ice Warrior countered, winking at the male warrior in the golden armor. Swordsman of the Solar System blushed slightly.

"Oooooh."

"Couldn't we have had the meeting outside where's there's more room?" asked a smooth female voice. One large, green eye looked through the window of Violet's room, belonging to a large dragon with navy blue scales and white wings.

"Sorry, Plutonian Dragon, but we don't want to scare Violet with all of us on the lawn when she comes home... Her parents will think she's gone bonkers," Storm Warrior pointed out.

The green eye was replaced by a familiar blue one, as none other than King Watapon spoke. "Yes! I am too big to fit in there as well, but it was necessary! I'm afraid that Blackhole and The Sun couldn't attend, however. They are simply too big." The giant Watapon's voice was very kingly indeed, a deeper version of Tiffles' voice.

"Not to mention that Black Hole's presence is perhaps a bit dangerous," Martian Scientist added, looking over his experiment notes.

"Good point!" Tiffles piped up.

Saturnian Necromancer looked around with his four eyes. "Where are Mercurian Soldier, Vesuvian Invader, and Mind Probe?" he asked.

Vesuvian Invader, a large orange humanoid wearing an orange cape and holding a sword in a sheath tied around his waist, appeared. "Sorry about that," he grinned. "I was busy with something..."

"YES!!! YOU PUT MY STUFF ON A HIGH SHELF, YOU IDIOT!!" Mercurian Soldier, a very short humanoid with grey skin, clad in silver armor and carrying a crossbow shouted. "THAT'S WHY WE WERE LATE!!!"

"I got it down for you," Mind Probe sighed, a spiderlike metal creature with spikes all over its body, and a mechanical eye.

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!!!" Mercurian Soldier yelled again.

"Geez, I was just teasing..."

"You're always just teasing," the gray creature growled at the large orange humanoid.

"You two are so fun to watch! Really, really fun!" Winged Watapon cheered, hopping up and down on Violet's bed.

"Now, Invader, Soldier, can't we all just get along? After all, we're all aliens here, aren't we?" King Watapon boomed from outside the window.

"King is right. Invader, you had better not pull anything during the meeting. Or I'll personally send one of my zombies after you in your sleep," Saturnian Necromancer warned in a dangerous tone. The white, four-eyed alien shaman could be scary when he wanted to be.

Vesuvian Invader held up his hands in a placating gesture, sweat-dropping and grinning sheepishly. "Okay, okay... I give!"

"Can we get this started? The last thing we need is the family showing up while we're all out here. Especially King and myself," Plutonian Dragon stated.

"Good point, good point! Let's start! Start!!" Uranian Crater Jumper chirped eagerly, scuttling across the walls and ceiling like a little blue blur.

"All right, then. I am Swordsman of the Solar System and I am pleased to finally meet all of you," the gold-clad warrior smiled, introducing himself.

"Oh! You're one of the rare cards Violet got!" Tiffles stated excitedly, grinning. "I'm Watapon, but Violet named me Tiffles. I came with the stuffed toy she got as a present when she was a kid." And that is why Tiffles the plushie and Tiffles the duel spirit shared the same name.

"And I, everyone, am Storm Warrior of Jupiter," stated the next duel spirit. "I fight for the honor in this deck, as do you all, I know..." He bowed as the knights of old often did.

"Honor? It's a game, silly! I mean, as long as you don't cheat... but it's a fun game!" Winged Watapon exclaimed in a very childish, misunderstanding fashion.

His brothers sweat-dropped. "That's Winged Watapon... he's still a little young," Tiffles explained.

"Well, I guess I'm the joker in this group. I'm Vesuvian Invader and you guys can bet I'm wild!" the orange creature grinned.

"Well, just don't play any jokes on Saturnian Necromancer; he's scary. As for me, I'm Watapon Totem. All three of us are." Again each of the Watapons in the totem spoke a different sentence, like triplets.

"I'm the alien he was referring to and he's right. I can be very scary if I'm provoked," Saturnian Necromancer added with a set frown and four narrowed eyes, the blue jewel atop his staff glowing threateningly.

"Who's a pretty birdie? You're a pretty birdie," Rallis twittered at his reflection.

Mercurian Soldier sighed in slight frustration. "That's Rallis the Star Bird and I'm Mercurian Soldier... How I ended up with Vesuvian to drive me crazy, I will never know..."

"It's because..." Uranian Crater Jumper began, promptly popping up on top of Mind Probe. "You're aliens! Aliens!"

"He's right. Our new master chose the both of you specifically because of that trait. Just as she chose all of us. So you'll simply have to learn to get along. I'm Plutonian Dragon, and that little creature is Uranian Crater Jumper," Plutonian Dragon explained from the window.

Mind Probe sweat-dropped and extended its mechanical eye to give Crater Jumper the evil eye. "I'm not a rubber bouncy house... Could you stop jumping on me, please? And I am Mind Probe. I can read straight into your souls..."

Okay, so that was probably not the best thing to say. Awkward silence ensued for a few moments until King Watapon broke it. "Er, well... if we shall continue, I am King Watapon."

"And I'm Mercurian Soldier... I know I look small, but I am dangerous," the gray soldier introduced himself. "And I am Neptunian Ice Warrior," the ice creature clad in robes stated. "I will freeze our opponents..."

"Well then, is that everyone?" Saturnian Necromancer asked.

"Everyone except for the Sun and Black Hole, yeah... Oh, and..."

"Busy," Martian Scientist muttered.

"That's Martian Scientist... We don't want to get him mad," Vesuvian Invader sighed.

And then, Uranian Crater Jumper popped up beside Martian Scientist, his single eye peering closely at the chemicals the other held. "Whatcha doin'?!" he shouted, even though he was less than a foot away.

Martian Scientist yelped, jumping 3 feet in the air and the chemicals in one beaker bubbled, then exploded. When the smoke cleared, every monster looked stunned. Martian Scientist had soot all over him and an outraged look on his face. "ARRRGH!!!"

"Uh-oh," Uranian Crater Jumper muttered, not liking the look the scientist was giving him. He promptly started fleeing when the short alien chased after him with more chemicals in hand. "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX

Back in the present, Violet grinned as she finished her story. "The other aliens managed to break the two up, and we got back home a little after that. But still, man... I wish I'd been there for it!"

Everyone who could was cracking up. "Oh, my! Sounds like when Rei and Usagi get in fights," Annie chuckled, laughing. "I'm just glad they can't inflict real damage or... the repair bills would be astounding," she concluded, sweat-dropping.

"Yeah, I'm glad for that too. There have been way too many explosions, fire-breathing accidents, and zombies for me or my family to afford for repair bills," Violet agreed.

Bastion wrote, "I'm not sure if my monsters have gotten into fights, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did..."

"Mine do, sometimes... I'm kinda surprised Yubel hasn't really fought with the other monsters in my deck," Jaden added thoughtfully.

"They haven't done anything to upset me as of yet," Yubel answered, appearing behind him.

"Why would we do that, Yubel?" Neos asked, also appearing.

"Never said you would. Just saying that you haven't," she answered simply.

"Yeah... and just saying we wouldn't want to... Then again, none of us wants to ever make Burstinatrix mad," Neos said, sweat-dropping.

"You've got that right," Burstinatrix stated as she appeared, smirking.

Neos smiled as said E-hero appeared. "Hello, Burstinatrix..."

"Hello, Neos." The different Heroes of Jaden's deck began to chat and Jaden launched into another superhero story…

_The gang has enjoyed some good down time, though Bastion definitely hasn't liked it. Next time, we hope you'll join us for "Flight of Icarus!" Thanks to AgentoftheDivineOne for the title suggestion! We hope you are all having a happy new year and that you'll join us next time! So until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	53. Flight of Icarus

Chapter LIII: Flight of Icarus

_Hello again, fans of __**Darkness Falls!**__ We're glad to see you again and are glad you're all staying with us! Anyway, we know you're probably eager for another chapter! Thanks again for your reviews and continued reading!_

_Last time, Jaden told superhero stories and Violet told of the day her cards met for the first time. What will happen next? Stay tuned!_

_**Disclaimer: **__Trust us… if it belongs to an animation studio or major corporation, chances are very good that we don't own it. We do own our OCs, our plotlines and any non-established characters._

_**Authors' note: **__We would like to thank Wikipedia and WebMD for their continued medical information. This chapter does contain medical drama, but logical medical drama._

A few days passed, and one evening, Alex Nakamura looked at Bastion's chart as the young man slept. "Tonight's going to be a little rough... All of you kids will want to stay put through this..." The entire gang was in the infirmary, including the Duel Academy teachers and parents.

"What do you mean?" Violet asked worriedly.

"Violet, it's all right. I'm hearing the sound in the lungs that indicate what's in there is about to break up. The sacs around his lungs should be less inflamed and so the stuff in the lungs will be able to come up. But tonight, his body temperature will drop and he'll have symptoms of hypothermia. So we have to keep him warm and by morning, we may be able to get him off that ventilator," the pulmonologist reassured the girl, meeting her green eyes with his brown ones.

"We... we will?" the purple-haired girl asked, the hope in her voice practically dripping from her tone. She squeezed Bastion's hand, which she was holding.

Bastion looked up at Dr. Nakamura, hope in his eyes as well. "Am I going to be okay?" he wrote.

"Well," Alex said, "you're going to be all right. It won't be overnight, but it's been almost three weeks, so you're going to have turned a corner, Bastion... It'll take a few more weeks before you're strong enough to walk down the aisle, but I predict a really good recovery. I warn you, though... tonight will not be fun..."

Violet squeezed her fiancé's hand again, looking him in the eyes. "I'll be here for you, Bastion. You were always there for me."

"So what can we do?" Annie asked, looking at the doctors and the nurse.

"We may need help from all of you when Bastion's temperature takes a drop," Scout stated. "We'll need a hot compress brigade..."

Axel and Tyson looked at each other. "We can organize that," Axel stated calmly.

"Is there anything else we can do?" Alexis asked.

Scout shook her head. "There isn't much else to be done, sweetie... We have to help Bastion warm up and then he should be okay. We just have to keep him from going into stage 3 hypothermia..."

Katai, sitting in one of the infirmary chairs, looked up. "Stage 3 hypothermia? How bad is that?"

"It's bad, Katai, which is why we don't want Bastion getting to that point... Stage 1, he'll get really sluggish and sleepy and he might have trouble seeing. He'll start shivering and in stage 2 that shivering gets worse. He'll turn pale and parts of him will turn blue. Stage 3 is very dangerous and I've seen it a few times in the ER... At that stage, it can be fatal...He'll stop shivering, but his skin will get blue and puffy and his organs will start to fail. And with his body the way it is, it will probably kill him..."

Several pairs of eyes widened in horror. Violet squeezed her loves hand again, though it was involuntary and simply out of fear. "We can't let that happen," she managed to say, practically breathless.

Bastion tiredly squeezed back. "We're going to hit this hard, Violet... Hiro, this is going to get rough, though," Alex said to his colleague.

Hiro frowned, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "I know... But we'll make it through, no matter what. We're ready for it."

"Okay..."

"All right, guys," Jaden stated, taking command of the gang, "we know what we have to do... Get pajamas, snacks and whatever we need for the night."

"All right, and I'll get some board games," Aster offered.

"Annie," Violet called to her friend as the gang started to leave so they could get "provisions."

Annie turned back and went to her best friend. "Sy, could you get what we need?" she asked, prepared to take a while with her friend if so needed.

"Annie, I just wanted to ask you to get some pajamas and manga for me. You can grab them when you're getting your stuff," Violet stated quickly, grinning. She named a few of the manga she was recently reading.

Annie took note. "Okay. Any particular pajamas you want?"

"Just don't get me a nightgown. Pants and a shirt would be better," Violet answered.

"Okay. I'll grab you something," the dark-haired girl promised.

GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX

And together, Annie and Sy headed to the suite at Obelisk. "Okay...her Watapon pajamas... Bleach... Inuyasha... Adventures of KameNeko... Loveless," Annie muttered to herself as she packed Violet's bag. "Sy? Honey, could you get my lavender tank set?" she called.

"Sure!" Syrus called from their room. Annie was in Violet and Bastion's room across the suite.

"Thanks, honey!" She gathered up a couple of toiletries as well, knowing her best friend would need to freshen up in the morning. And then Annie picked up something from Bastion's drawer. 'He'll need these later,' she realized, grabbing a pair of his favorite silk pajamas. She sat down on Bastion and Violet's bed and fingered the rosary beads in the pocket of her denim shorts. 'Please let this night go better than I'm thinking it'll go,' she prayed in her head. 'Please help us, Lord...' The days in the infirmary had taken their toll on the girl, and there was part of her that truly feared this night.

Syrus then came in, a bag in each hand. He'd just finished packing and saw Annie in her current position. Frowning a little, he set the bags down and sat beside her, putting an arm around her. "Annie? Are you okay?"

She looked up at him, worry and pain evident in her eyes. "I'm just really worried about tonight, Sy... What if... what if something happens to Bastion? I don't think Violet can take it..."

He sighed, gaze turning to the carpet. "I... I don't know, Annie... We won't know until all of this happens, and... all we can do is try to stop that from happening."

"I... Sy... I don't know if I can take it, either," she admitted. "When I was younger... Bobby got hurt in a snowboarding accident and they had to airlift him from Snoqualmie to Harborview Medical. He was okay, but it scared me," Annie shivered. "I was about ten and... I wasn't the same after my brother got hurt. I got more driven to be a doctor... If he'd died, I don't know what it would've done to me..."

Syrus pulled her a little closer. "He'll be okay, Annie... He has to be... All of us will make sure of that. And you and Violet will be okay too."

She hugged him tightly, needing the comfort of his arms. "When this is over... and Bastion's out of danger... we just need to relax..."

He kept her close, nodding. "We will..."

As the now-former students prepared for the one of the toughest non-duel-related fights of their lives, the two youngest students at the academy also made preparations. Blair was in her temporary quarters at Obelisk Blue packing up some pajamas. "Marcel, do you want anything? I can pack some snacks!" she called from inside her bedroom.

Marcel had already packed his bag, and was standing in the sitting room waiting for Blair. "Huh? Oh, uh, I am fine. But you can pack some snacks if you want!" he called back.

"Do you want one of my stuffed animals?" she offered.

"No, that's all right!"

Blair made her final selections and came out with a well-stuffed bag. "I packed a couple of things, just in case. It's going to be a really long night... Annie lent me a couple of medical textbooks she got off of Amazon... I read up on pneumonia..."

Marcel blinked at the obviously over-stuffed bag, but turned his attention back to its owner. "You did?"

"Yeah, I did. Annie let me use her books after I was done studying for finals. I asked her about what she knew and she told me and let me use the books." Blair might not have been the greatest of duelists, but she definitely had a brilliant mind. "Anyway, back in the old days before they had antibiotics and before we knew there were two types of pneumonia, there was this thing called 'the crisis,' and people who went through that period would either live or die..."

"Really?" Marcel asked curiously.

"Yeah. Most often, people lived, but there were times people died because their body temperature went too low," she explained. "Bastion going through it may be a good thing... But I'm kind of surprised that he is."

"Why's that? I thought you said it was normal," he replied, now confused.

"It was a normal thing back in the old days, but now it isn't so normal."

"Oh... well then, why do you think Bastion is going through it?"

"The theory that Dr. Nakamura and Ms. Fontaine have is that because it hit him so fast, that's why his system is going through it."

Marcel nodded. "All right, I think I understand... Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah... let's go," she answered.

By the time the sun was finally going down on that late May evening, the entire gang had gathered in the infirmary. Bastion smiled weakly at the touch of his favorite pajamas on his skin. "I'm glad these were brought... They're warm," he wrote.

Violet smiled. "That's good... You need all the warmth you can get tonight..." She couldn't hide the worry in her tone, eyes, or expression.

He lifted his hand and gripped hers. It was a silent gesture, meant to sooth her. It was his way of saying, "I'll make it, somehow."

She bit her bottom lip, but nodded slowly and squeezed back. "I know you will..."

He released his grip and wrote, "I'll be all right, love... Stay with me..."

"I will... I won't leave your side, Bastion... You never left mine," she answered softly. For some reason she felt like crying.

"Violet... sweetie," Katai murmured, moving to hug the girl. She could tell her soon-to-be daughter-in-law was holding back her emotions. Violet gladly accepted the hug, but didn't let go of her love's hand during it. She was really glad that Katai was there, both for Bastion's and her own sake. It was like having her mom there with her to help comfort her. "I'll be right here, too, Violet, honey," the older woman murmured. "My sweet girl..."

"...Thanks… Katai..."

Katai smiled softly. "You're already part of our family..."

Violet managed a small smile. "Okay then... Thanks… Mom..."

Katai was touched by that, that Violet felt that bond. She hadn't expected that the girl would call her Mom, but was touched that her daughter-in-law addressed her as such. "Oh, sweetie..." She hugged a little tighter. "I'm... glad you feel that way..."

Violet hugged back. "I'm glad I feel that way too..." The two women held the hug for a long moment, but when they broke away, Bastion tapped his writing pad for attention. Violet sweat-dropped. "What is it, Bastion?"

He wrote quickly. "Mum... could you sing Warabigami? Violet's never heard you sing it..."

Katai nodded. "I can, if it's okay... I just hope I still remember all the words... Hiro, I hope you do..."

Hiro smiled from his spot beside Bastion's bed. "Of course I do. Well, perhaps some verses are a bit fuzzy, but... I'm certain they'll come back to me once you begin singing, darling."

"Okay... Just in case I botch it..."

"You won't, Mum," Bastion wrote, adding XDDDDDDDD to the pad.

Katai smiled. "I used to sing this when Bastion was really little... And that horrible night when we thought Hiro might not come home..."

Violet's eyes widened. "When was that??"

Katai sighed. "That was the night Joey Wheeler's father died... Hiro was trapped at the hospital, and even though he wasn't really in danger, we were still afraid that something would happen to him. Bastion and I were watching TV when the news broke in. Even though Hiro called and told us he was all right, Bastion was terrified. He was just 5..."

Violet squeezed her fiancé's hand. "Wow... I never even thought that Hiro might have been at the hospital when that happened..."

"He had an emergency surgery," Katai explained. "A little girl had fallen through a window and glass had gotten in her eye... He saved her eyesight, right, Hiro?"

Hiro smiled and frowned at the memories. "That I did. I'm just glad that no one was harmed during that entire ordeal... there were so many children in that hospital..."

"I remember that night... I was in the hospital room with Yugi and his friends and grandfather," Scout mentioned. "I'd done the work on Yugi's hands and I'd just been doing my rounds when I got an emergency alert," she explained. Scout remembered that night and how she'd had to reassure five-year-old Alexis and seven-year-old Atticus over the phone as they'd held onto their father. "Joey ran out, trying to talk his father down… The kids had never seen anything like that night..."

"It was bad enough with one scared little boy," Katai said thoughtfully.

"Yeah... Alexis held onto me like I was a life preserver when I got home," the other mom stated.

"It was a scary night, but... Bastion relaxed with this song," Katai recalled. "Guess I'd better get to it..." And so the small woman began to sing in Japanese. Bastion closed his eyes, listening to it.

Outside the room, Jaden perked up. "I understand this song," he murmured, smiling.

Alexis looked over at her fiancé. "What do you mean, Jay?"

"I can translate it, Lex," he explained. "Mom and Dad made sure I was bilingual, so I understand the words..."

"Wow. So then you know what the song's about?" Syrus asked.

"Yeah... The first verse," he murmured as Katai sang through it, "says that the baby boy that was born is a blessing from heaven and that the mom will take care of him and hopes he'll grow up with good luck and health..." Katai sang the second verse and Jaden quickly translated, "Then she sings about how even though bad things will happen, she'll protect her little boy from them so he'll grow up okay." There was something sweet and yet a little sad about the song, and Annie couldn't help but wipe away a tear. Most of the group had expressions of wistfulness as they listened.

Katai sang through the whole song and drew a breath. "Katai... that was amazing," Scout murmured.

"Th-thank you," Katai answered, blushing slightly. "I haven't sung that in a long time..."

"It sounds just as beautiful as the last time I heard you sing it, darling," Hiro stated sincerely, smiling.

Violet was grinning. "Oh, wow, Katai... You're such a great singer... I had no idea."

The mother reached to brush her now-sleeping son's head. "It's just something passed down through generations... My mother's family was from Okinawa, and women sang that song to their babies and little children, so my mother taught the song to me and I sang it to Bastion."

Violet looked back at the person she loved most in the world. "Yeah... a lot of moms sing to their kids... even if they're not really good at it... Mom never sang to me, but Grandma did when I was little. Just some funny little made-up songs to get me to sleep. I'm not surprised that Bastion fell asleep after you sang that..."

Alex Nakamura took a look at Bastion's vital signs and checked his temperature. "He needs the sleep... the battle is about to begin..." He took a deep breath. "His fever will drop and if this were a normal case, he'd drop back to normal and cough up the gunk in his lungs. But he's undergoing the crisis... That means his temperature will likely drop into hypothermic levels."

"We'll get him through it... we have to," Violet murmured, squeezing Bastion's hand as if to confirm her words.

"We'll make it... We'll track his temperature, keep him warm and bring him back to normal. He'll still be weak for a while, Violet, but he will pull out of it," Alex soothed, laying a hand on her shoulder.

Violet sighed, feeling a little relieved. That's what she was hoping to hear. "Good... as long as he'll be okay..."

Scout stepped out of the room and got Annie. The dark-haired girl came into the room and "Violet, I'm here," the would-be doctor said, putting her arms around her best friend. Annie knew this was going to be a rough night, no matter the outcome.

Violet gladly leaned into the hug. "Thanks, Annie..."

GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX

The sun set and the temperature went down on Academy Island. In the outer room of the infirmary, no one slept. Blair sighed, stretched out on her air mattress. "I wish we could do something..."

"We will... when it happens," Marcel replied softly, staring up at the ceiling.

Axel, meanwhile, was cleaning and polishing his duel disk. "Are you sure that thing isn't loaded?" Adrian half-joked.

"Are you going to keep saying that?" Axel countered softly with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, ya gotta admit, mate, that it is a rather unique duel disk. I've never seen one shaped like that before," Jim stated, propping himself up on an elbow. Shirley was sleeping soundly beside him.

Axel smiled softly. "Yeah... I had it custom-made. Needless to say, people don't mess with me when I have it."

"Do you ever have problems getting through security with it?" Jim joked, grinning slightly.

"Nope," the young man answered. "I have the information on it with me at all times. And I occasionally get to demonstrate its use."

"Cool," Adrian grinned, admiring the gun-like duel disk.

About an hour later, Bastion's body temperature began to drop. "Here we go," Alex muttered. "Annie, take a look at the readouts, would you?" he requested, treating her like the medical student she wanted to be.

The teen nodded, examining the readouts. "Patient's temperature is dropping. If we're lucky, he won't go into the crisis... This would be the resolution phase..."

"Good girl," he praised.

Violet rubbed the hand she'd held all night a little, knowing that soon it would start getting colder. She was smarter than average, after all. She just didn't feel like trying to remember what she knew sometimes. But one thing Violet did know was that the appendages would lose heat first, as it drew into her love's core to keep his vital organs running. "It's okay, Bastion… I'm here," she murmured.

If Bastion heard, he gave no sign. "Okay... we'll need heating pads if he goes into hypothermia," Scout stated. "I've read about cases like this... And I've seen a few drowning cases..."

"Drowning cases?" Violet asked.

"Well, occasionally in the winter, kids would try to skate on the pond in Domino Park... And there'd be a child that fell through the ice," the Rhodes mother explained. "The kid would be under long enough to have nearly drowned and because the water was so cold, developed hypothermia."

"Oh, I see... That's like when people go surfing on Lake Erie in the winter... They have to be careful or they can catch hypothermia," Violet agreed with an understanding nod.

"People fall in the water in Puget Sound in winter and they get hypothermia," Annie remembered. "Sometimes, they don't make it..." She shivered, remembering a classmate that had fallen off a boat in February when she was nine years old.

Violet nodded again. "Yeah. A lot of people have died on the lake... not usually of hypothermia, though. Which is weird, I know, seeing how cold it gets and all." There had always been at least one report a week on the news about a Lake Erie death.

"Sometimes, hypothermia can save a drowning victim," Annie remembered. "I think it's because the body's functions are so slow..."

"That's right.... but in this case, we have to keep Bastion from going into that stage of hypothermia," Alex asserted, watching the young man's vitals. "Hiro, Katai... this is going to get worse before it gets better..."

Hiro sighed. "Yes, we know, Alex... But with everyone here to help, I'm certain it will get better."

GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX

And so they waited. At 10:30 PM, Bastion's body temperature had dropped to 100 degrees and his eyes opened. They had lost much of the fever brightness they'd had for well over a week. He gripped Violet's hand, looking up at her. Violet felt it, and squeezed back, sending him a soothing smile. "It's okay, Bastion. I'm here... we all are... Do you know what's happening?"

He managed a nod and reached for his writing pad. "I feel cooler," he wrote. "Is the fever finally breaking?"

Her smile faltered a bit. "Yes... but..."

"But?" he wrote, eyes showing his own worry.

"Your temperature might keep dropping, and... you might... hit the crisis..."

"The what?" For once, Bastion didn't know about it.

Violet blinked in surprise. "You could... get hypothermia... We need to keep you warm."

"I don't understand," he wrote.

Annie looked at Violet, having noted the conversation. Violet met her gaze, silently asking for some help with this. "Bastion... this hasn't happened much since the advent of modern medicines like antibiotics," the dark-haired girl explained. "In the crisis, a patient's body temperature tends to return to normal or drop. Back in the old days, that bad drop could be fatal and was a lot of the time. So you're going through this, but you have modern medical techniques that should prevent you from going through the real danger point."

He nodded, gray eyes wide. "So... this might be fatal?"

"Yes... but you may rally a lot easier because of modern techniques and because you were healthy before all this started."

"It won't be fatal for you, Bastion. We'll make sure of that," Violet added, the determination in her tone obvious.

"I know, love... you and Annie together... and Mum and Dad..." He was feeling weak and lost grip on the pad and pencil.

"Bastion... just relax... it'll be over soon," Annie murmured, taking the writing stuff.

Violet nodded. "The more you relax, the easier it'll be for you..."

Annie looked up at the readouts. "Body temperature at 99.5 and falling..." Bastion's body temperature went down another tenth of a degree as she spoke. But he managed to take Violet's hand. The handgrip conveyed trust and fear at the same time. He knew his friends were all with him, and yet he knew death could come for him.

"Violet... be ready... this could go really quick," Alex murmured.

Violet sighed softly. "I'm ready... I'll do anything I can to help him..."

"We all are, sweetie," Katai murmured. And another hour went by. Bastion's body temperature kept dropping and by 11:45, he was starting to shake.

Violet held his hand a bit tighter, worried. "Bastion..."

His grip seemed falter and his eyes looked fearful. "Bastion, blink for me if you can understand me," Annie stated. He blinked. "Okay... can you feel Violet's hand? One blink for yes, two for no and three for kind of." Bastion blinked three times.

"He's in Stage One," Alex murmured.

Violet looked at the doctor worriedly. "Stage One?"

"Stage One of hypothermia. The patient's temperature is below normal for him and he starts to shiver. And his hand is numb," Annie explained, also worried. "Bastion, are you feeling queasy?" Two blinks. "Are you feeling tired?" One blink. "Okay... Try to touch Violet's shoulder..." Bastion reached up and tried, but fumbled.

Violet bit her lip nervously. "How many stages are there again?"

"Three... and Bastion's heading to stage 2..."

"How do we know when he's in it?"

Annie took a deep breath. "Do you remember that duel monster Shinato?"

"No..."

The dark-haired girl sighed. "Okay... well, Bastion's lips, ears, fingers and toes are going to start turning blue..."

"Blue?!"

"It's because the blood vessels in his extremities will constrict and try to keep the rest of him warm," Annie soothed. "So the blood in those parts of his body will lose oxygen and turn blue."

Violet sighed. "Still, though... blue..."

"He'll turn back to normal when his body warms up..." Bastion continued to shake and looked heartrendingly at his parents for them to help him somehow.

Hiro frowned deeply, wishing there was something more he could do. It hurt a parent when they couldn't help their child in a time of need. He placed his hand on Bastion's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "It won't last for long, son..."

"It'll be okay, angel... we're all here," Katai soothed, brushing his bangs again. Bastion blinked and then started to shake harder. He tried to hold Violet's hand tighter, but his fingers were getting clumsy.

Violet made sure that her grip was tight enough to hold Bastion's hand, willing him to still feel that she was there. "Bastion..."

"He's in stage 2... Body temp at 93.3 degrees," Annie stated, trying desperately to go into clinical mode.

Outside the room, the other young adults listened fearfully. "Come on, Bastion," Jaden urged, "keep fighting, man!" Chazz sat tensely on his bed, eyes closed, presumably praying.

Belowski cuddled tightly against the man that he was beginning to call father. "Dad... he's gotta be okay..."

Don kept his arm around the thin boy, rubbing his arm with his hand comfortingly. "He will be, son... he will be..."

"He's in trouble... and he's... he can't see well..." Belowski's strange abilities had allowed him a glimpse into Bastion's state; consequently he could see how stage 2 hypothermia was affecting the older young man.

Don stared down at him in surprise, almost shock, at this. "Belowski... you can see what he's going through?"

The boy nodded, clearly upset. "I can see what's happening... it's so not cool..." He shivered from fear.

Don frowned. "Can you control it? Maybe... block the feelings out?" It was a possibility that Belowski could turn this strange sense of his on and off.

Belowski took a deep breath, trying to shut Bastion out of his mind. "I'm... I'm trying, Dad... He's so cold..."

"I know, Belowski... Just… try to concentrate on something else," Don soothed, keeping his hold on the small boy. Belowski closed his eyes, trying to focus on the woman he now called Mom. He was still able to sense the cold from Bastion, but he was now able to feel Fonda's warmth and her determination, along with the other doctors, to save Bastion's life. And yet he still gripped his soon-to-be-father's hand.

Meanwhile, back in Bastion's room, the teen genius's skin was draining of color. Hiro held Katai to him, knowing the sight was scaring her half to death and barely able to keep vigil himself. 'Oh, son... please be all right,' he thought, pained.

Violet seemed to drain of color almost as quickly as Bastion, though her skin paled out of fear and worry. "Bastion..."

Katai was also pale. "Hang on, sweetheart," she murmured.

Fonda looked up at the readout. "We're going to have to get the heat packs ready. His temp's dropped to 92.8. Annie?"

"On it!" the teen girl answered already running out to the supply closet. The gang looked up at her. "He's heading toward stage 3 hypothermia..."

"Stage three...?" Syrus asked, eyes filled with worry.

"Y-yeah... He'll stop shaking, and his body will really slow down, but his heart rate could go up too fast. He could be clinically dead in a short while, but we might be able to bring him out of it..." The strain was beginning to show on her, as it was nearing 1 AM now.

Syrus would have gone to her, but knew he would only slow her down and upset her. Plus, the "dead" comment had shocked everyone. "D-Dead?!" Jesse yelped.

Annie nodded, but seemed calm. "Clinical death is different than brain death. Clinical death is when your blood stops circulating and you stop breathing... You can come out of that..." She shivered a little. "But you have to work fast..."

Jaden's face went white. "I've seen it before..."

Alexis turned to her fiancé in surprise. "Jaden? You have?"

"Y-yeah... when I was in the hospital... years ago..." The memory went through his mind like a lightning flash.

"Was it someone you were sharing a room with?"

Jaden shivered. "N-No... See... I wandered around some nights... I was there a lot, especially when I was in treatment... and then when Mom got sick..." He took a deep breath. "One night I wandered down to the ER..."

Alexis frowned. "And you saw it happen..."

He nodded, eyes cast down. "They... they lost the... she was five.... And she'd been in an accident... They were trying to save her. She stopped breathing... And then about 5 minutes later... her brain stopped. It had been damaged with the accident, but... her stopping breathing... she didn't have a chance..."

"Sarge," Tyson murmured sympathetically.

Alexis squeezed Jaden's hand comfortingly, only able to imagine how horrible that must have been, especially at such a young age. "Jaden..." The brown-eyed young man pulled his bride to be into a tight hug at the horrible memory. It was the first time Jaden had actually seen death happen. On the night in question, his mother had been in Domino General for cancer treatment and his father had fallen asleep with his mother. That had allowed the small boy to wander. And then he had seen that poor little girl die. But now...

"It's not going to happen to Bastion. Annie, is it time for the heat compress brigade?" he asked, looking up from his hug.

"Yeah," she answered seriously. "We have to move fast!"

Tyson and Axel looked at each other. "You heard the lady... MOVE MOVE MOVE!" Axel commanded, sounding every bit like a drill sergeant.

Tyson too was moving. "Fall in line, soldiers! This is an emergency! Private Misawa's dependin' on us!!!" The group gladly obliged, not really needing the order. But the loud energy produced by it had been needed to wake them up and bring them out of their nervous stupor. Within seconds, the line had formed, stretching from Bastion's bedside to the microwave where the moist heat compresses would be heated up for use. The infirmary's entire supply was stacked up on the counter beside it.

Axel was at the start of the line next to the counter and Tyson was at the end next to Annie who was in the crowd of doctors. Dr. Alex Nakamura gave the signal. "All right, I need 'em now!" he shouted and thus began the tosses.

"Here's one," Annie called as the first compress was tossed into her hands.

"Violet, put this on Bastion," Miss Fontaine commanded as she handed the purple-haired girl the compress.

"O-Okay." Violet didn't hesitate, knowing these next few minutes would decide the fate of the man she loved.

"Put it here first, around his core. You need to keep the vitals warm," stated a familiar voice. Mary had appeared, pointing at the British teen's torso. Violet did as she was told, knowing that Mary knew a lot more about anatomy than she did for... various reasons.

And for the next few minutes, the students and alumni of Duel Academy Central kept tossing the heat packs. Jaden's face had taken on a blank expression as he only thought of tossing those packs. His movements were almost robotic as he concentrated on his task. He didn't allow himself to think of anything else. Jaden wasn't the only one like this; throughout the line, some of the gang was in a similar state of mechanical movement. Alexis noticed this and frowned, turning to her fiancé whom she stood next to. "Jay?"

Jaden blinked. "Huh? Alexis? Did you say something?"

The concern was obvious in her hazel eyes. "Jaden, no offense, but you looked like a zombie... and you're not the only one."

Jaden looked at the line, seeing the blank expressions on Syrus, Chazz, Adrian, Jasmine, Blair and Marcel. They were intent on what they were doing and had seemingly lost all feeling. "Wow... we just know what we have to do, I think..."

"Okay... I was just worried, that's all," Alexis replied, sighing. It was weird seeing them like this, even if it was for a good reason.

"We just can't let it happen," he murmured tightly as he took another compress, handing it over to her.

She handed it to Atticus, nodding slightly. "I know... and we won't..."

Back in the room, the situation was still very serious. Bastion's body temperature hadn't started to climb yet. "Come on, Bastion... come on," Scout murmured, brushing the young man's chilled features.

"Fight, son... I know you, and you're too strong to let this beat you. You must come back," Hiro said softly, brushing his fingers against his only child's chilled hand. Katai herself was beyond speech, choosing instead to pray in her mind. The small woman couldn't envision losing her baby, not like this. And so she prayed hard.

_Cliffhanger! Will Bastion survive this night and be better? Will the gang have to say goodbye to a friend? Will we ever get tired of medical drama?! Next time, join us for "Golden Scissors Miss Their Mark!" Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow!_


	54. Golden Scissors Miss Their Mark

Chapter LIV: Golden Scissors Miss Their Mark

_Hello again, fans of __**Darkness Falls**__ and fans of the GX saga! Before we continue, we, your co-authors, would like to express our sympathies to the people of Haiti and those around the world that have lost people in the Haitian earthquake. If anyone among you can make donations to the International Red Cross or other reputable organizations, please do so. Thank you!_

_And now, we return to our story. As usual, seriously, we don't own GX. We just like to play in the universe with our OCs. Thank you!_

_Warning: Language._

"Come on, Bastion... come on," Scout murmured, brushing the young man's chilled features.

"Fight, son... I know you, and you're too strong to let this beat you. You must come back," Hiro said softly, brushing his fingers against his only child's chilled hand. Katai herself was beyond speech, choosing instead to pray in her mind. The small woman couldn't envision losing her baby, not like this. And so she prayed hard.

And then, it happened. "Temperature... up by one tenth of a degree," Fonda said. "Two-tenths... three...."

Everyone in the room drew a collective breath and held it, tense with anticipation. Only Violet managed to find her voice as she reached down into the heat compresses to grip his hand. "Come on, Bastion… That's it... you're so close," she murmured, just above a whisper.

Alex Nakamura murmured softly, "Just another couple of minutes..."

Annie, in her position, called out to the gang, "His temp's coming up... be ready, guys!"

Everyone showed some sign of relief, and the ones who had been rather robotic in expression seemed to come out of it. "We're ready, Annie!" Syrus called back.

Chazz, down the line next to his brother, blinked. And blinked again, realizing that no one was passing heating pads anymore. "Huh? Did Annie say Bastion's temp's coming up, big bro?"

Atticus nodded, smiling a little. "Yeah... he's coming out of it, bro."

The raven-haired boy looked toward Bastion's door, that robotic, trancelike expression coming off his face. "He's... oh man..." Chazz suddenly was feeling overwhelmed emotionally. "He's... gotta make it..." And tears came to the youngest Rhodes' eyes. Even as late as one summer before, the raven-haired boy wouldn't have acknowledged that the emotions of the moment had gotten to him. But in the year since he'd been adopted, he'd slowly let his family and friends see his feelings. And now that was okay for him.

"Chazz... bro..." The older Rhodes brother pulled the younger to him in a strong hug, feeling tears burn at the back of his own eyes.

All through the outer room, relief was spreading through the group of young adults. Chazz wasn't the only one in tears. "Marcel... he's gonna make it," Blair murmured, smiling and hugging her friend.

Marcel was tearing up as well, hugging his crush back tightly. "He is... he's going to get through it..."

Back in the room, Bastion's body temperature was still rising. At about 15 minutes after his temperature had begun to rise, it was nearly normal, and his eyelids were fluttering. "Hiro," Katai murmured, catching it, tears coming down her face too.

Hiro found himself crying as well, blurring his glasses so much that he had to take them off. However, he could still see Bastion beginning to move, and couldn't help but smile in relief. "Katai... darling, he's coming back to us..." As Hiro spoke, Bastion's fingers on both hands curled around his father's hand, and his fiancée's. Finally, his eyes opened. He couldn't speak because of the breathing tube, but his eyes spoke for him. They were clear and not the hectic bright they had been.

Violet now burst into tears, though this time they were ones of relief and joy. "Bastion... Bastion, you did it... you made it through," she whispered breathlessly. It was impossible to describe the feelings flowing through her at that moment.

The doctors made a quick check of him, bringing Annie fully into the room to see the procedures. "Welcome back, Bastion," she murmured, smiling through her own happy tears. He gave her a weak nod, but it conveyed all of his gratitude to everyone around him. He was too tired to take a pen to paper to say it, but his expression said it all. And he again squeezed his love's hand to reassure her of his presence. Violet was too overcome for any more words, sitting back down in the chair she'd occupied before this ordeal. She bent over, pressing her wet cheek against the hand that was finally regaining its warmth as she cried softly.

Scout, now that the danger was past, headed out of the intensive care room to the big room where the former students, students and teachers were gathered. "His temperature's back to normal... We'll have to watch him for a few more hours, but it looks like he's going to be all right..." The room gave such a collective sigh of relief that it felt as if the entire island had relaxed. Everyone slumped into chairs or against walls, exhausted from the worry and fear that had been plaguing them. Those with loved ones held them close, most of the tension dissipating from the room.

Belowski, close to the man he was calling Dad was smiling at the feeling of Bastion being warm again and the warmth of everyone's happiness. "It's okay now," he murmured, hugging Don Sartyr.

The older man sighed, keeping his arms around the small boy. "So it is... Bastion will be all right now, Belowski," he murmured happily.

Jaden, despite the late hour, picked up his fiancée, twirled her around in celebration and kissed her on the lips. "Lex... it's okay!!!" He was ecstatic.

Chazz might've reacted to Jaden, but instead, he was smiling and squeezing his girlfriend's hand. "Wouldn't you usually get mad at him?" Mindy asked with a happy but tired smile.

"Not tonight, Mindy... He can be really happy for all of us," the raven haired boy explained to the raven haired girl.

Scout moved close to her children, future son-in-law and the two girls that had caught her boys' interest, pulling them impossibly into a motherly hug. "It was a tough fight, guys..."

"Yeah, but we did it, Mom... We all pulled together and helped him get through it," Alexis replied happily, smiling through her exhaustion.

"Can we see Private Bastion yet?" Tyson asked the doctor.

"Not yet, Tyson," she repeated. "You're all exhausted, and you need to get to sleep… Sy, a word, sweetie?" Scout released from her kids and beckoned Syrus to a cubicle.

"Oh, sure, Scout," Syrus said through a yawn, getting up to follow the doctor.

When they were alone, the pediatric surgeon sat down with him. "Honey, I know it's really late... but I think the best thing is to get Annie out of the infirmary. She won't rest well in here. And neither will you if that's the case... I think you two should go in one of the classrooms to sleep, all right?"

He looked at her in surprise, as well as a little confusion. "In a classroom? Scout, are you sure?" Syrus knew that she was probably right, but it would be hard getting Annie out of the infirmary. And truly, he didn't want to leave, either.

Scout caught the look. "You'll just be down the hall. That class was set up in case we needed the space, but instead you two will be able to get some rest. I know you don't want to leave, but you're both more tired than the rest of the group. Annie's been putting in long hours and so have you... Syrus, I promise you will be called in a few hours." Her eyes were very gentle and understanding and she gently laid a hand on his shoulder.

Syrus frowned, gaze turning downward as he sighed. He knew that he wasn't going to win this argument, and neither would Annie. At least it would be close. "...All right..."

"Okay, sweetheart... I know it's hard to leave, but it's necessary," she said sympathetically. They stood and headed out of the cubicle to see Annie being escorted out of Bastion's room by a friendly yet stern Hiro.

"But Hiro... I can stay a little longer," she argued. But it was very evident that Annie could push herself no longer. Her face was very pale, there were dark circles under her eyes, and a discerning person could see that tremors were coming through her medium frame.

Syrus was convinced by that sight, and guessed he must look somewhat the same. Going to Annie, he put his arm around her. "Annie... Hiro and Scout are right. We need sleep. Or else... we might end up in the infirmary next because we pushed ourselves. We'll still be close..." he murmured reassuringly.

"But I can stand it," she stated, blue eyes bloodshot.

"Annie, you are getting to bed," Scout said sternly. "You are exhausted and that's when doctors make mistakes. And you are shaking and you are clearly worn out. I will call Syrus in a few hours to see how you're both doing. He's tired too, and he won't sleep well until you're sleeping well. So I want you, Annie, to get to sleep."

Annie sighed. She knew that even Sy wasn't going to argue to stay, so they willingly went down the hall with Tyson and Axel escorting them. When they arrived at a classroom two doors down from the infirmary, they noticed there were three full-size beds, but none had been occupied. "I guess... we have this room to ourselves," she observed when their escorts left.

Her legs were beginning to tremble from the exhaustion.

Syrus nodded. "Yeah... come on, let's get to bed." He helped Annie over to the nearest one and sighed as he dropped face first onto it. His drowsiness was instantly doubled. Annie, more exhausted than she wanted to admit, fell asleep almost before she hit the pillow. Syrus pulled himself up beside her and had just enough consciousness to pull up the covers before joining her in dreamland.

GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX

He awoke a few hours later to a familiar voice. "Sy... Sy," Jaden was saying, "c'mon, wake up..."

Syrus groaned, muttering something unintelligible with his face in the pillow. Anyone watching would find the scene rather ironic, since usually it was the other way around. Turning his head so that he was now facing his fiancée, he yawned and snuggled down further into the sheets. "Mmm... just.. a few more minutes, bro..."

"Sy, c'mon... I can't wake you up like you wake me up... Scout'd kill me if I woke Annie up," Jaden added, shaking Sy's shoulder. He frowned slightly, wondering just how to wake his surrogate brother up.

Finally, he motioned to someone just standing outside of the room. A pair of strong but light footsteps sounded on the floor and then a familiar gravelly voice stated, "Syrus, get up now... Don't make me break out Cyber End Dragon..."

Syrus stiffened considerably, memories of school mornings passed flooding his sleep-filled mind in an instant. "I'M UP!!!" His eyes snapped open and he scrambled up onto all-fours, so shocked that he lost his balance. He slid off the bed and into his big brother, sending them both to the floor in a heap.

Zane grinned eagerly at his brother. "Hey, kiddo..." Fresh from a victory at the Pro League, he had come to the island at 6 this morning to see how Bastion had fared. Unbeknownst to most of the gang, Scout had been calling out to Domino, updating the Yukis and Truesdales all night as Bastion fought. Zane had been home as his latest victory had been at Domino's Kaiba Dome, and as soon as it was okay, he had taken a helicopter out.

Syrus blinked a few times, still in a state of shock, then grinned and threw his arms around his brother. "Zane!! What are you doing here?? I thought you were in Domino, dueling!" he cried joyfully. The fact that his big brother was there bettered his mood significantly.

"Quiet. Annie's still asleep and Scout wants to keep her that way," Zane whispered urgently. Annie, it seemed, was dead to the world, though and the three young men tiptoed out of the room. "I got some time off," the pro duelist explained quickly, a slight shadow passing across his features.

"Well, I'm glad you're here, bro... I missed you," Syrus replied truthfully, not catching the shadow, as he was still waking up.

"Missed you too, little bro... Man... I was up most of the night. I won that duel against Albert Fudo," Zane explained.

"He was a good duelist. He's an engineer and he won't be in pro dueling much longer. He got married recently and he got a job at Kaiba Corp."

Syrus grinned. "That's great, big bro! Did he have a machine deck?"

"Yeah, a machine deck, and it was something!" Zane grinned, remembering the duel. "And then he brought out this amazing dragon! It was beautiful!"

"A dragon? Was it a machine dragon like Cyber End?" Syrus asked, wondering what it looked like if Zane thought it was amazing.

"No," the older Truesdale answered. "It was called Stardust Dragon. It's a Wind type and its wings shook out what looked like stardust. But Cyber-End made short work of it..." The pro duelist couldn't suppress a smirk.

The younger Truesdale sweat-dropped; that was just like his brother. "Well, I'm glad you won, Zane. You're still really high up in the rankings!"

"Yeah... But I'm going to have competition when Jaden gets in the pros... And this time, I expect you to let loose the whole duel..."

"Will do," Jaden grinned sheepishly.

"So anyway," Zane continued, "Scout didn't want Annie awake yet... But she said we needed to wake you, Sy."

Syrus blinked in surprise. "She did? Why?"

"She said you needed to get up and get something in your stomach. Annie, however, needs the sleep more. You look better after a few hours."

"Oh. I am pretty hungry..." His stomach supplemented the words with a well-timed growl, making him blush. "How's Bastion doing?"

"Better. His color's really improved. He hasn't really breathed on his own yet, but Dr. Nakamura's not too worried. He says that's normal," Zane explained as they headed into the infirmary, which smelled pleasantly of cinnamon.

The smell made Syrus's mouth water. "Where's that smell coming from?"

In response, Fonda, Don and Belowski were coming around with coffee cake muffins. "Syrus, dude, we made coffee cake muffins!" the hippie boy grinned eagerly, handing him a muffin.

Syrus grinned back at the welcome sight. "They smell great, Belowski! Thanks."

"We knew that all of you would be hungry after the long night. You needed something warm and spicy to wake you up and give you energy," Don explained cheerfully.

"Is Annie still asleep?" Fonda asked.

Zane and Jaden nodded. "We followed orders. How long?"

"She is going to sleep as long as she can," the nurse stated. "Oh, and Sy, Bastion has been asking to see you."

Syrus, for the umpteenth time that morning, was surprised. "He has??"

The nurse nodded again with a slight smile on her face. "He said he wanted to talk to you now that he could."

"Okay. Do I need to change into scrubs?"

"No. You can go in there in your pajamas." Everyone who hadn't been on medical detail all night was still in their pajamas, except for Zane, who was clad in jeans and a t-shirt.

"All right." And so the cyan-haired teen followed the nurse into the other room, smiling at Bastion as he entered. "Hi, Bastion. I'm glad that you're feeling better," he greeted.

Bastion was definitely feeling better. His skin tone, previously ghost white, was now a pale shade of pink. His eyes held the brightness of intellect, not fever, and someone had taken care to brush his hair. Miss Fontaine picked up a legal pad and a pencil for the genius to write on as he still had a breathing tube and the respirator and he took them gratefully. "Good morning, Syrus," he wrote, adding a smiley face.

Hiro and Katai had left the room to get some sleep in spare cubicles out in the infirmary, and Violet was resting in the bed beside Bastion's. Syrus walked over to stand next to the Ra genius's bed. "How are you feeling now?"

"Much better," Bastion wrote. "After you left, they took me off this machine and I coughed up a lot. I don't feel like I'm weighed down as much and my chest feels much more clear." He wrote what looked like a sighing person, and continued, "But I couldn't manage to get off the machine... Anyway, I'm much better. How do you feel?"

"I feel better, too. I'm not as tired anymore and I ate a little. Have you eaten yet?" Syrus asked curiously.

Bastion nodded. "I'll be glad when I can eat those delectable muffins again..."

Syrus blinked. "What are they having you eat right now?"

Bastion glanced at one of his IV lines. "Whatever they're giving me through the IV... Since I was put on this thing, I couldn't eat normally... Violet said she intends to fatten me up before the wedding."

Syrus grinned at that. "I bet she will. How is she doing, anyway?"

Bastion smiled back, looking over at his sleeping fiancée. Her hair was loose and it was evident she'd fallen asleep smiling. "Much better. She didn't want to go to sleep several hours ago. But Mum and Dad coaxed her... She was so happy when I really came to..."

"I think we all had to be convinced to get some sleep... I know Annie and I did. We wanted to stay here," Syrus explained, grinning sheepishly.

"But you both put in such long hours... Syrus," Bastion wrote, "I wanted to tell you something... Look, I know I had a close shave and... some things are better said than not said..." His eyes locked on Syrus's as if this had to be said now.

Syrus's eyes widened, mind trying to figure out what could possibly hold such importance. "W-What is it, Bastion?"

"Syrus... we've lived in the same... well, apartment, in a way for nearly a year, and I wanted you to know you're more than a friend. You're a brother..." Bastion wrote very carefully as he considered every word. "You and I got to know each other better than we ever did before. And I am so thankful for that. You don't know how much..."

Syrus smiled as he felt himself grow warm and fuzzy on the inside, happiness welling up inside of him once more. He leaned over the edge of the bed to carefully hug Bastion as he replied. "Thanks, Bastion... To tell you the truth, I've really felt the same way about you lately. You're like another big brother to me..."

Bastion hugged back as strong as he could. "I'm glad... I'm so glad... Syrus" And then he started to choke.

Syrus gasped, unsure of what to do. "Miss Fontaine!"

The nurse came running in, as did Alex Nakamura and Scout Rhodes. "Okay... let's get this tube out!" Alex asserted. "His lungs are reasserting themselves, even temporarily..."

"Syrus, you might want to back up here," Scout stated calmly, knowing what was happening.

Syrus did as he was told, quickly backing up to give the doctors space. He didn't exactly know what was going on or what was going to happen, but he guessed that it wasn't bad. Violet, nonetheless, groaned in her sleep at the sound of her fiancé's choking.

"Okay, Bastion, on three, breathe out. And I'm going to take this out," Alex said quickly. Bastion managed a nod. "One... two... three..." And Alex pulled the tube from Bastion's raw throat. "Emesis tray, Scout!"

"On it!" The doctor grabbed the kidney-shaped pan and Bastion threw up a little into it hacking and coughing.

Syrus grimaced, but remembered what Annie had told him. Bastion was getting the nasty gunk out of his lungs, and doing this would help him get better. It still wasn't a pleasant sight; he'd turned away the second he knew what was about to happen. It took a moment or two for Bastion to get control. Miss Fontaine gave him a glass of water, and after he'd been able to drink some, the young man spoke again. "Sy-Syrus..."

The smaller teen quickly stepped back over to the bed. "Are you okay, Bastion?"

"Y-yeah," he managed in response as soon as he could talk. "Sorry..." His voice was raspy and scratchy, but he could talk and breathe on his own.

Syrus smiled a little. "It's okay, Bastion. You don't need to apologize. This is a sign you're really getting better..."

Bastion smiled at that. "Well, as I was writing... I'm glad... at how close we've become..."

The cyan-haired boy grinned. "So am I. We're as close as Violet and Annie now, I think."

"Definitely..." Bastion held his arms open for a hug. Syrus reached over, locking his short arms around Bastion happily. It felt great to be able to hug his friend again. Even though it had only been a short time, the past few days had felt like years. "Thank you for staying here... all this time..."

"You're welcome, Bastion. And of course I stayed here... you're my friend- my brother, like you said- and I'd never leave."

Bastion nodded with a soft smile, and then he realized something. "Annie's not here?" No one had told him his surrogate sister's whereabouts, so he was understandably puzzled that she wasn't poking her head through the door.

Syrus shook his head. "No, she's still sleeping. She wore herself out and Scout wants her to rest longer."

The teen genius sighed. "Okay... well, heaven knows everyone deserves to rest... I'm glad Violet finally fell asleep..."

Syrus nodded. "She was really worried about you... she broke down after the doctors said you were going to be okay..."

"I'll make this up to her... We're going to be here a while," Bastion said thoughtfully. "And I wanted her 17th birthday to be better than her 16th..."

Syrus sighed and hoped that Bastion wouldn't beat himself up about this too much. "Bastion, I'm sure that she's just glad you're okay. From what you guys told us, she loved her 16th birthday, and I'll bet this year it'll be just as fun. Don't worry..."

"Well... I'm going to need... assistance," the former Ra panted. He was able to breathe on his own, but he tired easily.

"We'll all help, Bastion. But right now you should lie back down and rest... The more you do that, the sooner your body will get better," Syrus replied assertively.

As Sy suggested, Bastion laid back into his pillows. "Is everyone else still here?"

Syrus nodded. "Yeah, they are. Last time I checked, they were in the other room eating breakfast."

"What time..?" Bastion looked at the clock. "Goodness... it's 11:30?!"

The other boy sweat-dropped. "Oh. I guess it is... I didn't even notice," he admitted with a blush.

"Well, I suppose we all needed a bit of a lie-in..." Bastion looked over at his beloved again. She looked more peaceful as she rested than she had in the past two weeks. But Bastion was not at peace, not yet. His mind still roiled with self-doubt, pain... His inner darkness had not been vanquished, even in his life-and-death struggle.

Though it didn't seem like it, Violet had yet to get over her own true darkness as well. Though it would seem Mary was the problem, she was only a result of the real one. She still feared being alone and left behind, though she wouldn't admit it freely. Speaking of Mary... "Glad to see you're feeling better, genius," said spirit stated as she appeared.

Bastion looked up as tired as he was and smiled at the spirit. "Hello, Mary... good to see you again..."

"Hey, Mary," Syrus greeted as well. Violet's spiritual twin sat on the edge of Bastion's bed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yo. I would've shown up a lot sooner, but I've been keeping an eye on Violet. Her mental state's been shaky these past few days and I was worried it might trigger her... you know... again," she explained, frowning.

Bastion nodded tiredly. "All she's done is worry about me..."

Mary returned the nod, but sent the boy a look. "You're right, but don't you go beating yourself up over it. You were the same way when she was in the hospital. It's normal."

"I just... Mary, she's been taking her medication, hasn't she?"

The spirit nodded again. "Of course. The few times she's been too distraught to remember, I remind her. I'm not taking any chances, not after she's getting better so quickly. But you still haven't told her- anyone, for that matter- a thing. Have you?" Mary asked expectantly, glancing at Syrus as the teen frowned.

"Mary... I'm all right..." But even someone deaf, dumb and blind could tell that the young man was lying.

"Bastion..." Syrus muttered worriedly, looking at his friend.

Mary scoffed, hopping to her feet with a roll of her eyes. "Whatever you say, Misawa. But I'm warning you; the longer you wait, the harder it's gonna be. For you, for Violet, for everyone. You'd better not hurt her again- not when you have the choice," she stated a bit darkly. She may not be a blood-thirsty, sadistic murderer anymore, but she still cared deeply for her light half. When Mary had finished, she faded out, likely returning to Violet's mind. She could have told everyone about Bastion's problem, but she wouldn't; he had to do it on his own.

Bastion closed his eyes wearily. "I'll just make things worse..."

Syrus looked from Bastion to where Mary had been standing and back again, now truly worried. "Bastion, what's she talking about? What haven't you told us?"

"It's nothing... Syrus, I'm all right," Bastion stated, the struggle making him sleepy.

Syrus opened his mouth to protest and continue asking the other about this supposed "secret," but noticed that he was beginning to doze off. Sighing, he backed off- for now. "Okay, Bastion... go ahead and sleep."

Bastion was already asleep. The doctors and nurse who had stepped away to give the boys some privacy stepped back in. "Syrus... sweetie, what happened?" Fonda asked.

The short teen sighed. "I don't know, Miss Fontaine. Mary appeared, and she and Bastion were talking. She mentioned about him not telling us something, but he kept saying it was nothing..."

Alex sighed. "If he's keeping something... that could impede his recovery... We have to know what it is... Any ideas, Syrus?"

"Well... I'll talk with the guys about it. Maybe we can figure out something," he answered.

"Okay... Whatever you can find out will be helpful... Why don't you go outside with the gang and tell them that Bastion's off the respirator?" Scout suggested.

Syrus nodded. "Okay." Heading out of the room, he returned to where the gang was grouped together and took a seat. "Hey, guys."

Jaden was the first to speak in the group. "How's he doing?"

The Slifer's surrogate brother smiled. "A lot better. He's even off the respirator!"

"Oh, man... That's great!"

"All right! Private Misawa's gonna be okay!" Tyson whooped.

"Oh, thank God," Alexis breathed in relief.

Rosa grinned. "He's recovering quickly!"

But then Jaden caught sight of Sy's expression. "Sy... what is it?"

Syrus frowned, remembering what needed to be said. "Well, he is getting better physically... but I don't think he is emotionally."

Axel groaned softly. "He's not over it, is he?" The gang all knew how Bastion had been before he'd been taken to the World of Darkness. And that was precisely where Axel's mind jumped.

Syrus sighed heavily and shook his head. "I don't think so, Axel. But I'm not sure. It could really be anything... All I know is that Mary said he's not telling us something- not even Violet," he explained.

"Maybe we could ask Mary about it?" Aster wondered.

"That's a good idea. If she knows, I wonder why she hasn't told us herself," Alexis thought aloud.

"Maybe... she feels like she can't tell," Blair suggested thoughtfully. "I mean, Mary keeps Violet's secrets..."

"She does... but it couldn't hurt to ask, just in case she might tell us," Atticus replied with a nod.

"Okay... so who gets her attention?" Adrian inquired.

Everyone exchanged awkward glances. "Well, uh... we've never actually called her before. She usually just... shows up when she feels like it," Syrus admitted.

"Uh... so how do we talk to her, then?"

"...Um... ideas, anyone?" Alexis asked, sweat-dropping.

Belowski looked up. "Uh... dudes... maybe I can get her to talk to us..."

The older teens looked at him in surprise, then realized the sense in his words. "That's a great idea, Belowski! It's worth a try," Atty said with a grin.

Belowski shivered a little bit. "I don't know how... but I've got to help... Don't I... Dad?" he asked Don Sartyr.

The teacher smiled and placed an arm around his son-to-be. "It's good to help any way that you can, son. But don't push yourself... No one will be mad at you if you find you can't do it."

Belowski took a deep breath, concentrating on Violet's sleeping mind. He had never tried entering a person's mind before like this, but he knew he had to do it. He closed his gray eyes, and in his mind's eye, saw different colored pathways to each mind in the room. He followed a tie-dyed path, shot with brown and edged with maroon to Violet's psyche. As he reached the end of the path, he found that it forked into a rainbow path on the right and a faded red path on the left. Something told the boy to take the path on the left. Soon he found himself at the entrance to an old Victorian mansion. "Uh... hello?" he called out.

Belowski had chosen correctly. Mary had been resting in an old, dusty armchair since she disappeared, debating whether or not to check on Violet again. She was shocked out of her seat when she heard someone call out, especially when that voice was male. Frowning in suspicion, she got to her feet and went over to the large door covered in peeling paint. Mary threw it open, looking much scarier than normal in the dim atmosphere and light of the soul room. She raised an eyebrow upon sight of the small boy, recognizing him but having forgotten his name. Be... something or other. "How the Hel- er, heck did you get in here, kid?"

Belowski, somehow not afraid of this counterpart, even in the gloom looked up at her. "I just followed your mind path," he said simply. "I'm Belowski, dudette. And everybody wants to talk to you..."

Mary blinked at the blunt answer. She didn't know anyone could do that, especially someone so young. Frowning, she sighed. "They do? Why? Is it important??"

"Yeah... it's about Bastion... We're worried about him," the boy said simply.

"...Fine. Let's go." Mary reached out to brush against Belowski's shoulder, and instantly they were back with the gang.

Belowski blinked when he found himself back in his body. "Hey, dudes, got her..."

Mary had appeared as she usually did, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. "What do you guys want?"

"Hi, Mary," Jaden said for the group. "Listen, uh... we're worried about Bastion..." He wasn't sure how to word it and so went with the direct approach.

Mary sighed again, closing her ruddy red eyes. "And you want me to tell you what he won't, right?"

"Yeah... Dr. Nakamura's worried it'll make Bastion sick again..."

The spirit straightened, moving her hands to her hips and opening her eyes so that she could stare them all down. "It will. But those two are stuck so deep in their damn darkness that denial is in the same standing as truth for them," she explained. Mary was obviously touchy about this, letting the curse slip and not realizing she had used a plural instead of a singular.

"It's both of them?" Jaden yelped in shock.

Mary's eyes snapped wide, and she sweat-dropped. "Damnit... you guys weren't supposed to know that... shit," she muttered, whipping around. She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, muttering under her breath. Violet wasn't going to be happy about this.

Adrian took a deep breath, glad that he could see Mary's spectral form as well. "Mary... it's good that we know... A relapse for Bastion at this point could be fatal. He just barely made it through this fight, and he's still fragile..."

Mary turned back around, hands returning to her hips as she frowned at them. "No shit, Sherlock— um, I mean... you think I don't know this? You could knock him dead with a feather right now. And dealing with this is bad for him, but what do you think me spilling to you guys for him is going to do?"

Tyson's face tightened. "It's gonna help us figure what to do next, Miss Mary. We can't just let them stay wounded on the battlefield. That'd be terrible..."

Mary sighed heavily, aggravated. It was like talking to a bunch of kindergartners about sex. "Thank you, Captain Obvious. Of course letting it out would help them! Geez... but if I tell you for THEM, then it'll cut out a huge amount of the help it'll bring."

The group went silent for a moment. This was right, but on the other hand, having an idea of what they might be facing would give them time to plan. All of this went through their minds in a trice. "Mary... we know something's wrong... and we need to have an idea of how to fight it," Axel stated calmly. "You don't have to tell us everything, and we're not asking you tell us every detail. But can you at least answer a couple of questions?"

Mary crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the wall, once more casual. "Hmph. Fine. Ask away."

"Okay... First, are they still suffering from whatever Darkness did to them?"

"Oh yeah. Big time. You guys never exactly found time for a group therapy session with them like the ones you had a while ago, did you?"

The young adults all exchanged glances. "We didn't," Jaden muttered. "They were gone by the time we figured it out... Darn it!" he yelped, punching a wall in frustration.

"Jay!" Alexis quickly gripped her fiancé's hands in her own so that he wouldn't do it again. "We're all upset about this. But we can't change the past. Hurting yourself over it isn't going to help Bastion and Violet get better," she soothed, looking him straight in the eye.

"If we'd figured it out sooner, though... Maybe Bastion wouldn't have gotten sick... Lex..." Jaden was tense, very tense over this. "Some leader I turned out to be..."

Alexis opened her mouth to reply, but the only specter in the room did it for her. Mary had moved from the wall to right next to Jaden, and had it not been for the ruddy red eyes, it could have been Violet talking. "Oh no you don't! Don't even start on that trip! What is it with you people and complaining you're bad at something you've proved time and again to be good at? How many times have you led your friends through to safety, beaten the villain, stood up for them? You're a damn good leader, Jaden! And if I hear you- or anyone else- spouting otherwise again, I'll show them that a spirit form can still do damage! Got it?!" She was pointing a ghostly finger right into his face, and her brows were furrowed with severity. If there was one thing that seriously irked Mary, it was those who were blind to their talents.

Jaden's jaw dropped. Of all the things he'd expected from anyone in this room, that wasn't one of them. And so he replied in much the same way he would to a seriously irked Alexis. "Yes, ma'am..."

Alexis sweat-dropped, but was glad that someone had knocked sense into Jaden. "Thanks, Mary."

Said duplicate smirked and gave a thumbs-up. "No problem. Happy to oblige." She walked back over to her previous position, this time holding her pleased smirk.

Axel thought carefully before asking the next question. He knew this might be tricky. "Mary... does Bastion's darkness have to do with what he thinks is failure?"

Mary looked away, considering, then looked back at them. "If I answer truthfully, will you guys promise to act like you don't know? They seriously need to tell you themselves."

They all nodded. "It's something I think we already kinda knew," Jaden realized. "And we'll keep quiet."

Mary nodded. "Good. Then the answer is yes."

"Then... it's the same with Violet... It's not just the bipolar," Aster understood. "It's everything she's dealt with even with therapy..."

"Bingo. The bipolar just came back because of all of that. In fact, both it and myself are just problems that happened because of that one big one," Violet's twin explained.

"Man... so we definitely know what we're fighting now," the silvery blonde pro duelist muttered.

"It's gonna be bad," Jaden groaned softly. The entire group knew now that they were in for an ugly fight. Though this one didn't comprise the fate of the world, it was deeper than anything they had faced.

"Bad is an understatement. And the longer you wait, the harder it's gonna be. You have to wait until they're willing to talk, and on top of that wait until Bastion is even well enough. I don't know how to help you there," Mary pointed out.

"Not much we can do," Zane said thoughtfully. He remembered how it had been with him, though the situation had been much different. His life hadn't hung in the balance... no, it had... His very soul had hung in the balance. "We have to confront this... at least... when Bastion's a little stronger. If his recovery is going to be impeded, we'll have to do it, as soon as he's ready mentally..."

Mary frowned, seemingly debating with herself about what she was going to say next. "...And Violet?" she asked at last.

"Violet too... She's got to be okay before we can get Bastion stronger. If she isn't okay... it'll be worse for Bastion..."

"Well, that I can help you with. I can tell you that as soon as she's gotten enough rest, she'll be ready mentally. She needed to be sure Bastion was okay- physically, at least- before she would be."

Zane nodded again. Jaden managed a smile at the spirit girl. "Thanks, Mary... now we're almost ready for this..."

Mary scoffed, waving a hand carelessly as she turned her back on them again. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Oh, and next time you wanna talk to me, just call. You don't need to send the kid probing into Vi's mind." With that said, she faded out, sounding like a certain ex-Princeton.

Chazz sighed. "Did I really act like that?" he asked.

Atticus couldn't help but snicker a bit. "Pretty much, bro."

"Man..."

GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX

The gang began talking over what to do as soon as Violet and Bastion awakened, refreshed. Meanwhile, three very tired young people continued to sleep. Bastion slept well, partly because of the medication in his system and partly because his body was still healing from the damage. Violet slept fitfully, problems momentarily forgotten from the wave of exhaustion and relief that had washed over her.

Annie, meanwhile, in the quiet classroom, slept very soundly. Her body was exhausted as was her young mind from the days of fighting her friends' illness. It is likely that she would sleep for two days if allowed. She turned in her bed, and one could see the stress on her face from the long vigil. Or perhaps it was pillow marks or both...

_The fight is not yet over for our heroes. This time, the fate of the world is not at stake; however, the group's survival depends on this being solved. Next time, join us for "Shadowland." Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	55. Shadowland

Chapter LV: Shadowland

_Hello again, fans of GX and welcome back to __**Darkness Falls!**__ We're so glad you returned and that some of you have favored us with reviews and that many of you have kept up reading this story. Anyway, we love to hear from you, so please review if you haven't before! Thank you!_

_Last time, Bastion finally beat the dangerous part of his pneumonia and began his slow but sure recovery. Mary revealed, however, that both Violet and Bastion were in danger from something far worse. Their inner darkness was not defeated and might end up doing what the pneumonia could not. What will happen now? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer: Please check the past… you might not want to know how many chapters that is now.**_

_Authors' note: In this chapter, the co-authors had a strange revelation. We seriously craved similar food. It was one of those moments where we were so alike, it was scary. We've had moments throughout our writing where it seems as if we seriously have a mind link… There is also what TV Tropes refers to as "a big-lipped alligator moment" somewhere in this chapter. Let's see if you can figure it out. And now, another note from Ani, which has nothing to do with this story and everything to do with safety in the kitchen and dares…__If ANYONE EVER tries to get you to do the Cinnamon Challenge, say NO. You will save yourself a load of pain and embarrassment. Thank you very much. Now, onto the story!_

Late in the afternoon, however, Miss Fontaine decided to wake Annie enough to feed her. "Syrus, why don't you come with me?" Syrus was eager to see how Annie was doing, so he didn't hesitate to get up and follow the nurse out of the infirmary. Together, the nurse and young man headed to the classroom, Miss Fontaine carrying a bowl of vegetable beef soup. When they got into the room, Annie was still in a dead sleep. The nurse set the bowl down and shook the young woman's shoulder. "Annie... sweetie, wake up..."

"Mmmm," Annie groaned, but didn't wake.

"Sy, why don't you try waking her?" the nurse suggested.

Syrus nodded and sat on the edge of the bed, placing a gentle hand on Annie's shoulder and shaking it lightly. "Annie, come on. You need to get up and eat something. Then you can go back to sleep..."

"Sy, five more minutes," she groaned softly, trying to burrow under the covers.

He sighed and pulled the covers away a bit. "Please, Annie? You need to eat something. I promise, as soon as you're done, you can get some more sleep."

Now, Annie usually woke up happy. But this particular afternoon... "I'm still sleepy," she growled softly, sounding not unlike a certain Ouran High School Host Club character. And in Miss Fontaine and Syrus's mind's eyes, the room exploded with Annie's waking rage and above the academy, there was a bright pink cloud shaped like a rabbit.

Syrus tensed, sweat-dropping as he looked nervously over at Miss Fontaine. "Uh... wh-what do we do?"

The nurse smiled. "She needs to wake up..."

"No I don't," Annie growled again. She had curled up in a ball, not wanting to get up. Syrus was a little scared of what might happen if he kept pushing his fiancé, and that fear showed as he looked pleadingly at the nurse.

"Annie," Miss Fontaine sighed, "we both know you're tired, but you need to eat, too. So get up or I'll drag you out of bed..."

Annie, with a lot of effort, uncurled herself and sat up. She had a major case of bed head and her eyes still looked tired. "Okay, I'm up..."

Her fiancé sighed in relief and put on a sheepish grin. "Sorry, Annie. We're just doing what's best for you..."

"Sy..." Annie managed to smile a little. "Gosh, I'm still so tired..." And then the rest of her brain came online. "How're Bastion and Violet?" she asked, eyes brightening up.

Syrus paused, wondering if he should tell her what the gang had been talking about. But seeing her weary face, he decided to wait and smiled. "They're doing better. Both of them are resting right now."

Annie seemed to accept that and then caught the smell of the hot soup. "Oh, yum... Miss Fontaine..."

"Yeah, Don fixed some for you, and it's okay, you're exhausted. Just enjoy some time with Sy and if you want, you can go back to sleep," the nurse grinned, seeing Annie's contrite expression.

After helping the couple get situated, she stepped out of the room. "Sorry I was so grumpy, Sy," Annie apologized, taking a sip of the soup and feeling the hot liquid run down her throat.

"It's okay, Annie. I'd probably be the same way. You haven't gotten much sleep lately..." he soothed.

"Neither have you," she pointed out.

He sweat-dropped. "Yeah, but... you've been pushing yourself again. You've been helping out more than I have, and you've exhausted yourself. I..." Syrus paused for a yawn. "I'll get some more sleep, too. I promise."

"Did you get some food?" she asked, getting beef and vegetable chunks into her spoon along with the hot broth.

He nodded. "I had breakfast earlier. Some coffee cake and fruit, and orange juice."

"Good... Sy, I don't know what I'd do without you," she murmured gratefully.

He blushed. "I think the same thing about you... all the time, Annie..."

Annie set her soup bowl on the nightstand and hugged her fiancé. "I'm just glad it's starting to work out... Maybe this'll all be over soon..."

Syrus hugged back, suppressing the frown that wanted to come to his lips. Maybe he should break it to her now, so that she wouldn't get her hopes up. "Um... A-Annie..."

She pulled away and met his eyes. "It's not over, is it?" she asked softly.

He sighed, keeping his arms around her. "No..." Syrus gave her a quick summary of what Mary had told them, and what they planned to do.

"I knew it... And... Violet... she'll get bad..." Annie didn't want to think about the possibility of what might occur if Bastion got bad again. It had already been hard enough, and the would-be doctor's dreams had been haunted by strange images that, thanks to her exhaustion, had not become vivid enough. But it was enough to leave worry at the back of her consciousness.

Syrus nodded forlornly. "Which is why we're going to help them as soon as we dare to. We have to wait until they get their strength up... at least enough so that doing this won't hurt them..."

"Then... I have to get up..." Annie's eyes took on a different sort of determination now.

Syrus knew this was going to happen. "Annie, no. You can't do anything right now, while they're still resting. You should use this time to get more rest yourself."

"But... I have to figure this out..."

"Oh, no you don't," Miss Fontaine said, coming back into the room. She and the other doctors had discussed this and had decided to remind the girl of her limitations and age. "Annie, you have gone above and beyond the call of duty. But this is where I have to remind you that you are a 17-year-old girl and in training. You are going to let your own body recover or you're going to find that your resistance is lowered."

The younger Truesdale sighed in relief, glad that someone else had stepped in to support him. "Annie, you'll have plenty of time to figure this out. It'll be easier if you're well-rested, and while you're sleeping we'll work on it. Okay?"

The worn-out girl nodded, knowing she'd lost this round. "Okay... was it my imagination, or did I hear Zane?"

Syrus grinned happily. "You did. He was here when I woke up a few hours ago. He came early this morning, as soon as he could after he'd finished his duel."

"And he'll see you in a bit, Annie... You're probably not going to get up until tomorrow morning. By then, those circles should be gone from under your eyes," Miss Fontaine said.

"And by then, Violet should be well-rested too. And Bastion should be feeling a lot better... right, Miss Fontaine?" Syrus asked.

"That's right. Sy, you can stay in here with her if you want. Annie, finish up your soup..."

"Yes, Miss Fontaine..."

And then the nurse got a smile of a different sort on her face. "Annie, Syrus... I think it's time you two called me Fonda..."

Both teens looked at the nurse in surprise. "Huh? Really?"

"Yeah. You're not students anymore, so it's time you called me by my first name."

"Thank you, Fonda!" Annie said eagerly, hugging the pretty nurse.

Syrus smiled and joined the hug. "Yeah, thanks, Fonda!"

"Well, finish that soup, Annie and then get back to sleep..." The nurse got up and left again.

Annie ate the rest and felt pleasantly full and sleepy. "That was so good," Syrus yawned again. Being back on a bed and with Annie instead of talking with the gang had dragged out his drowsiness.

"Sy... you want to lie down with me for a minute?" she asked softly.

He blinked. "Oh... sure, Annie."

Annie opened the covers and let her love snuggle next to her as she pulled the covers over them. "So sleepy..." Her eyes were already beginning to close.

"Mmm... me too," Syrus muttered, eyes closed as he blindly set his glasses on the table by the bed.

And when next Fonda came into the room, the couple was fast asleep. "Just sleep, you two... you've earned it," she murmured, picking up the now-empty soup bowl.

GX ROCKS GX ROCKS GX ROCKS GX ROCKS

The afternoon faded into a warm summer evening and Hiro and Katai Misawa awoke from their own slumber in an infirmary cubicle. "Good... evening, honey," Katai said softly as they awoke.

Hiro stifled a yawn. "Good... er, evening, darling."

"Goodness, I think we slept awhile..." A quick look at her watch confirmed it. "We've been asleep for 15 hours..."

Hiro's eyes widened as he slipped on his glasses. "Oh my. That is a long time. I wonder how Bastion's doing..."

And then... "Hiro, Katai, you two awake?" Alex Nakamura called over the curtain of their cubicle.

"Yes, we are, Alex!" Hiro called back, sitting up.

"May I come in?"

"Katai?" he murmured, asking his wife for permission.

Katai smiled. "Of course. C'mon in, Alex..."

The younger doctor stepped in and sat down on a stool in the cubicle. "Bastion's doing better. He's been awake off and on and his oxygen levels are very good."

Hiro sighed, relieved. "Thank goodness... he's getting better..."

Katai was unable to speak; she was so happy. And then Alex took a deep breath. "There is one thing I'm concerned about for him. He seems a little bit depressed... That's not uncommon in these cases, but it can impede his recovery..."

The ophthalmologist frowned. "Depressed?"

Alex nodded gravely. "Yeah. He had a very close shave and whatever the Darkness did to him, I think it's still there... His friends seem to know about it. I overheard them talking and it seems he's been hiding whatever he hasn't dealt with..." He had heard everything and knew Bastion's parents must know.

Hiro's eyes widened and he exchanged glances with his wife. "He... he's been hiding something like this from us?"

Katai understood all too well. "Hiro, he's done it before... Remember when he was little and the kids were so cruel? He'd come home and say everything was fine."

The father and husband's eyes widened in shocking realization. "Darling... you're absolutely right... He's turned into himself again… he doesn't want to be a burden on all of us. But this... it's worse, isn't it?" he asked, looking over at his medical colleague.

Alex knew he couldn't sugarcoat it. "It could cause him to relapse, and we all know what that could mean if he did. I don't think he can fight it off again this soon..."

Katai gasped in shock. "You... you mean..?"

"He's still in danger..."

Both parents could feel their hearts sink. "Oh... what are we going to do," Hiro groaned, pulling off his glasses to rub at his eyes.

"We're working on a plan... He's got to get a little bit stronger before it can work," Alex said. "And by we, I mean not only us, but his friends. Those kids are determined to save their friends, no matter the cost."

"They've become as close as family, by now... after going through so much together," Hiro agreed, slipping his glasses back on.

"Yeah... and I think that's going to make all the difference here. Hiro, you know as well as I do what a support group can do to help a patient. The stronger the support net, the better a patient can do."

Katai nodded agreement. "Yeah... Bastion will tell us this time... We can't let him pull this in..."

Hiro blinked as something occurred to him. "Alex, does Violet know about this?"

Alex nodded. "She's asleep... And my guess is she probably does. Her counterpart knows..."

The parents exchanged glances again, this time curious ones. "You mean... Mary?"

Alex nodded. "She told the kids enough to confirm their suspicions. Jaden was very insistent and upset about Bastion and Violet..."

"So... she's trying to help?" Katai asked. Alex nodded again.

Hiro sighed. "At least that's something."

"Yeah. Would you like to see Bastion and Violet?"

"Certainly. Darling?"

"Yeah, Hiro... I want to see my boy," Katai said, grabbing up her robe and putting on some slippers.

"As do I, Katai," Hiro replied, getting up to do the same.

Alex led them down the hall to the ICU room where Bastion and Violet were still sleeping. The pallor was gone from their faces, though Bastion still had hollows in his cheeks. Katai reached out and brushed her only child's bangs. "You just rest, angel," she murmured. She moved over to Violet, whose face looked a bit more relaxed. She reached out and brushed her future daughter-in-law's bangs gently.

Hiro went to his son's bedside, brushing his fingers against a hand that had been ice cold nearly a day ago. "We're here for you, my boy," he whispered softly. He then turned and went over to stand with Katai, smiling a little. "She's helped him as much as he's helped her... now it's our turn to help the both of them, darling..."

"We're going to pull them both through this, Hiro," she agreed softly, taking Violet's slim petite hand. "Both our kids will be okay..."

Hiro wrapped an arm around his wife, and to any stranger it would seem as if Violet was, indeed, a daughter to them. "They will be. We'll make sure of it." To Katai, Violet was now their daughter too. She loved that girl as much as her own flesh-and-blood son. And she hoped Violet would wake up so she could hug the girl close. As if on cue, a soft groan escaped the purplenette's lips, and her eyelids twitched in anticipation of opening. "Violet? Hi, sweetheart," Katai murmured lovingly.

"Take your time, Violet. You've been asleep for quite a while," Hiro added.

Violet yawned, moving her free hand up to her eyes as her body stretched out. "Mmm... Hiro? Katai?" she mumbled.

"Hi, honey," the mother smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Better..." The girl opened her eyes slightly, propping herself up on an elbow. "How long was I asleep?"

"About 15 hours or so. We just woke up ourselves," the woman answered.

"Oh, wow... I can't remember the last time I slept so long," Violet muttered, opening her eyes fully as she sat up with another yawn.

"It's understandable, Violet. You were as exhausted and worn out as the rest of us," Hiro replied.

Katai hugged Violet close. "I'm glad you're feeling a bit better, sweetie." Somehow she knew she mustn't broach what Alex had told her and Hiro.

Violet hugged back, grateful, and Hiro sensed the moment was a mother-daughter one. "How's Bastion doing?" she asked, anxiety lacing her tone.

"Still sleeping, Violet... He's put in a hard fight."

"But... he's getting better, right?"

"He is, sweetie," Katai reassured her. "The doctor wants us to keep him happy."

Violet sighed in relief, looking around the two parents at her sleeping love. She wanted to talk to him, but didn't want to wake him when he needed the rest. "Good..."

Katai looked at Hiro, knowing what they could safely emphasize. "Violet... listen, there is one the doctor wanted to be very sure of. We need to keep him happy..." She took a deep breath. "Alex said that patients with Bastion's condition can get depressed, and that can hurt them."

Violet frowned, returning her attention to them. "What do you mean? You don't think Bastion might be depressed, do you?" she questioned fearfully.

"No, no, we don't know for sure, Violet. It's just a precaution," Hiro soothed quickly.

"So we have to do our best to keep him happy," Katai smiled kindly. "And Violet, if you start feeling stressed, talk about it. Hiro and I have had that agreement since before we got married. And we had it with our friends and families."

The younger woman's frown deepened a little, and she glanced away. "Okay. But I'm not stressed at all." Besides, Bastion's welfare was more important than her own right now.

Katai thought quickly, knowing that this wouldn't help Violet in the short or long-term. "Sweetie, any time someone's sick, the people closest to that person are going to have some stress. I've been wound up this whole time... And it's okay to admit it."

"Katai is right, Violet. We've all been feeling the stress of the past few days, and even just talking about it relieves that pressure a little," Hiro added.

Violet glanced back at them momentarily, then sighed and dropped back into a laying position. "I know..."

"Now, would you like something to eat?" Katai asked with a smile. "Hiro and I were about to get something."

Violet blinked, eyes widening as her mind finally remembered the need for sustenance. Her stomach let out a loud rumble, and she sat-up with a blush. "Y-Yeah. I'm starving!"

Hiro chuckled. "Well, I'm sure we can find ourselves a little something."

"Did I hear someone ask for food?" Fonda Fontaine called into the room, poking her head around the door.

"Me!" Violet piped up, grinning and raising her hand.

"Well, we can do anything you'd like. Don and Dorothy are ready for anything," the nurse grinned eagerly.

"Oh, don't say that! There's no way I could decide. I have enough problems choosing from the menu at Dorothy's snack shop," Violet groaned jokingly.

"Well, what would sound good? Just name it."

Katai blushed a little in her hunger. "Goodness, I'd love some lasagna..."

"That sounds good. I'll have some as well, Fonda," Hiro agreed with a smile.

Violet grinned. "Whoa. You know I've been craving spaghetti lately. What a coincidence!"

"Consider it done!" Fonda smiled, heading out to get the orders filled.

"They're making whatever we want?" Katai wondered out loud.

Hiro couldn't help but laugh a bit. "I know. I wasn't expecting that, darling."

"I guess they just want us to relax and get better after what happened," Violet mused.

"Yeah... but my goodness..."

GX GET YOUR GAME ON GX GET YOUR GAME ON

Down at the snack shop kitchen... "Don, you really seem to be enjoying yourself," Dorothy smiled as she stirred a rich meat sauce.

"Of course. It is just like when I used to work in a restaurant with real customers! And Italian is one of my favorite types of food to make," Don replied happily. He was shaping meatballs that would be baked in the oven and then added to the spaghetti.

"You've seemed reenergized the past few weeks since you proposed to Fonda," the plump woman observed with a grin.

The younger man blushed a little. "Well, yes, I suppose I am. But wouldn't any man who had the woman they love say yes?"

Dorothy thought carefully. "I think so..." She'd had some men in her life and one man in particular who made her smile constantly. And she knew he was over the moon over her. "You're a good man, and I know you'll be a good husband."

Don grinned sheepishly at the praise, pushing the tray of finished meatballs into the oven. "Thank you, Dorothy. I plan on doing my best..."

MEATBALLS LASAGNA CANNOLLIS

It wasn't long before Dorothy and Don came into the Misawas' room with a lot of food. "Let's see now... Who ordered the spaghetti?" the plump woman asked with a grin.

"I did," Violet piped up, raising her hand with a smile. The reaction was unusually quiet and tentative, though it was obviously not stemming from either Don or Dorothy's presence.

"Okay, honey... eat up. You need it," Dorothy smiled.

"I have the lasagna," Katai smiled as Don held up the plate.

"Thanks, Dorothy," the young woman replied. The pasta looked delicious, and the scent of herbs made her nose tingle and her mouth water.

"I also have the lasagna," Hiro stated, smiling.

Don set two plates down before the parents. "Here you are. I hope you enjoy it; the two of you need a nice, hot meal."

"Thank you so much, Don and Dorothy," Katai said gratefully. The sauce in the lasagna was a very rich meat sauce, flavored with Chianti wine, not too sweet, not too tart. "This is heavenly."

"Yes, this tastes very authentic... Katai, does it remind you of the lasagna we had in that little cafe over-looking the Mediterranean?" Hiro asked, looking over at his wife with a smile. Years ago, before Katai became pregnant with Bastion, Hiro had saved up enough for them to vacation for a few weeks in Italy.

Katai smiled at the memory. She and Hiro had only been married about a year when they took that trip. It had been during the time when they'd lived in England that they took that trip. "It does... maybe a bit better."

"Wow... you guys went to Italy?" Violet asked in awe and surprise between bites, having been enjoying her dish as well.

The ophthalmologist nodded, dusting off the memories in his mind the same way one might dust off old photographs. "Yes. Back then we still lived in England, so it wasn't as expensive. Katai and I had only been married about a year, but I'd been planning that trip since we first begun seeing each other."

Katai grinned. "So, you were very confident, weren't you?"

Hiro blushed a thick shade of red, pausing midway to his next bite and grinning sheepishly. "N-not exactly, darling. In fact, my confidence was rather... low. I wasn't sure if things would, well... turn out the way I hoped. But I knew I loved you, from the moment I first laid eyes upon you. I didn't plan on giving up easily, love," he admitted shyly.

"Well, I'm so glad you didn't, honey," Katai said as her smile softened lovingly. She remembered the medical student who had seemed shy yet confident at the same time at Oxford. She had been studying new types of horticulture at the time and had run into Hiro... quite literally. She'd had her nose in a book and not watched where she was going. That had resulted in a sweet two-year courtship and then, not quite two years into their marriage, their beautiful baby, Bastion.

"As am I, darling," Hiro replied honestly. Violet had to suppress a giggle at the sight; it oddly reminded her of Bastion and herself. She wondered if they would have good memories like that to reminisce on when they were older. For that to happen, though, Bastion had to get through the depression that was still plaguing him. The parents and Violet ate up their dinners, and the young man turned, muttering in his sleep. It was unintelligible, but perhaps indicated his darker dreams.

Violet caught it and frowned, remembering with regret that they weren't out of the woods yet. Moving to sit by his bedside, she reached out pressed a cool palm to his warm cheek. She was hoping the contact would soothe him a little; he needed all the rest he could get. "Bastion," she murmured, pained at seeing him like this.

At her gentle touch, he stopped muttering and smiled slightly. "Mmm... Violet..." And then he fell silent, drifting into deep sleep where dreams didn't follow.

Relieved and comforted that she had helped him, Violet sighed softly and smiled ever-so-slightly. However, she kept her ever-worried gaze on his sleeping form and moved her hand downward so that it could grasp his own. "I'm here, Bastion. I'm here," she whispered.

"He knows, sweetheart," Katai murmured, brushing a lock of Bastion's hair. "And we're all here for both of you... my sweet girl..." The woman put an arm around her future daughter-in-law.

"We won't leave your side until both of you are fully better," Hiro added seriously, placing an arm around Katai and a hand on Violet's shoulder.

The girl glanced up at them, then back down at the man she loved. "I know you will..." She brushed her lips against Bastion's cold fingers lovingly, gripping the large hand in her two slimmer ones. "I just hope he CAN get better..." 'And that I can, too,' she thought.

"He's going to, honey... Bastion, you're going to be okay..." Katai refused to believe the other possibility.

Hiro tightened the reassuring arm he had around his wife, and gave Violet's shoulder a squeeze. "He will be."

NIGHTFALL

The evening wore on and turned into night. The entire group congregated out in the great room in the infirmary, all enjoying some celebratory cake. At 11 PM, Bastion awoke, alone in his room. 'Where... they're not here...' And then he felt the soft breeze from a window that had been left open to bring fresh air in his room.

The window beckoned to him like a siren's song. "Come," it seemed to say. "Come and fly away from your problems... Let them be free of you..."

Bastion's mind, still addled from what Darkness had fed him, and the weakness of his illness, felt that this was perhaps a good thing. He disconnected himself from the various machines that monitored him, turning them off as he did so, and then pulled out the IV from his arm. He staggered from his bed and started toward the window, knowing that it was a very long drop to the ground. 'It'll be over... they'll all be free...'

_Sorry, everyone, as this is a cliffhanger. Will Bastion succeed in what he's trying to do? Will the gang save him? Next time… "Desperation!" Until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you! _


	56. Desperation!

Chapter LVI: Desperation!

_Welcome back, everyone! Wow! It was wonderful to see reviews from some old friends of our Yugi-verse! We're so glad that you keep returning and giving such kind reviews. And we're also honored to have so many people still with us after a journey that began almost 2 years ago with the premiere of "A Guy's Worst Nightmare." Anyway, again we thank you so much for your continued support! And so… we continue!_

_Last time, many members of the group awoke from long slumbers in varying moods. Dr. Alex Nakamura revealed that Bastion might be suffering from depression due to his illness. This confirmed what the younger members of the group already knew, though the group's exhaustion meant their guard was down. As the chapter closed, Bastion's inner demons got the better of him and he seemed to be attempting the unthinkable…_

_Disclaimer: If it belongs to a corporation, anime creator or trading card game company, then we likely don't own it. If it's an OC, a non-established character, our storyline or our Yugi-verse, then yes we own it. And ask before you use, please. Thank you!_

_Authors' notes: There are a few incidents that might be considered out of character in canon. But since this is our own universe where events have altered our characters' mental, physical and spiritual journeys, things are different and in character for their development here. We hope, nonetheless that you enjoy the development that has occurred for someone in the gang. Thank you!_

However, as if the powers that be were watching and had deemed the group tortured enough, someone entered the room just as Bastion reached the window. Violet had been eating with the others, and had wondered if Bastion was up yet. Knowing he'd want some cake, she'd come into the room with a slice to give to him. "Bastion, are you— Bastion!"

Violet was so shocked to see him out of bed that she accidentally dropped the cake, but didn't even notice it splatter onto the tile. "Bastion, what are you doing out of bed? You..." She suddenly became speechless. Violet realized; he was by the window, one leg partially lifted, hands gripping the sill weakly. He had been about to jump. "BASTION!!! No, don't!!" she shrieked, panicking as any sane person would. Running over to him, Violet locked her arms around his waist and held him back. Had he not been weakened by his illness, he could have easily broken out of her grip.

"Violet..." That had broken what strength he had. His foot, partly lifted, landed back on the floor as he sank to his knees, head spinning as his battered lungs struggled to keep up with what he'd almost made his body do. "Violet... just...." He could speak no more, panting against her.

The gang had heard Violet's shriek, and Jaden raced into the room. "Violet?! What..?! Bastion, what are you doing out of bed?!" His eyes widened in shock. "Violet? What's going on? Why is Bastion on the floor?"

Violet had fallen to her own knees, arms still wrapped tightly around Bastion as she buried her face into his heaving back. Her shoulders shook as tears formed in her eyes, dripping steadily down her face and formed from any number of emotions. She couldn't find the words to answer Jaden's questions, and even if she could, she could barely speak after what she'd just witnessed. "B-Bastion... J-Jaden, he... he tried to... oh, Bastion!!" she sobbed, entire body trembling.

Hiro and Katai, along with Scout, Fonda and Alex were back in the room. "Bastion? Sweetheart?" Katai asked, kneeling beside them, trying to make sense of it.

And then Bastion regained his voice. "Just... let me... go... Mum... Violet... better off... I was trying..." Everyone heard that and their faces blanched.

"Bastion... let's get you back in bed," Alex said firmly. "And you will stay there if we have to restrain you..." Such a threat was unnecessary as the young man was so physically weak, he was going limp.

Hiro, as white as the rest, managed to regain himself enough to help his wife coax Violet away from Bastion so that he could be moved. "I-it's all right, Violet. He's okay now... come on, let's get you a chair," he murmured shakily. Violet, still crying, wiped at her eyes with her hands and allowed her father-in-law to help her onto her feet.

Scout, Fonda and Alex lifted Bastion from the floor and got him back to bed. He was so worn out, he was asleep even before a sedative was administered. "How he even found the strength... Did he give any indication that he was thinking this way before he was taken?" Scout asked, covering him with a blanket.

"I did warn you guys about this...." None other than Mary had stated this, appearing behind her tangible counterpart.

Violet, having calmed down significantly by now, tensed and whirled around to look fiercely at the spirit. "M-Mary!! You didn't... you said you wouldn't... you..."

The doppelganger cringed, visibly wincing and holding up her hands in surrender. "Sorry, Vi... they made me..."

"Violet... don't get mad at her," Zane said tightly. "She's trying to save you too... And maybe more of us... Think about it... if something happened to Bastion, something would happen to you... And then who else would be affected?" His gray eyes held her in a laser-lock.

Violet wilted under the look the same way Bastion had to her arms, frowning as she tried to look away. "I... I-I... d-don't know..." she stammered, head hanging.

"Think about all of us... And think of who is sleeping right now, exhausted because she fought right alongside you as Bastion fought for his life," Zane reminded her. "If something happened to you, Annie would break."

Violet buried her face in her hands, slumping over in her seat. "I... I know," she whispered, almost inaudibly. And as if to illustrate his point, a loud scream from the classroom where Annie and Sy had been sleeping ripped through the air. Annie had awakened abruptly from a nightmare...

NIGHTMARE PHANTASM NIGHTMARE

"Time of death... 2:05 AM," Scout Rhodes murmured, tears coming down her cheeks as she laid Bastion's now very limp hand on the bed.

Katai was crying too. "Bastion... not my baby..."

Annie had moved next to Violet, crying too. "Violet, we just... it was too bad," she sobbed brokenly. Between the hypothermia and Bastion's lungs, his body could take no more. Despite the best efforts of the doctors and Miss Fontaine, Bastion's body had given out and he'd died. Annie stood, worried at her best friend's fate now.

Hiro had his arms around Katai, eyes closed as tears slid unbidden down his cheeks. Unlike her real life reaction to when Bastion seemed to die, Violet was quiet instead of hysterical. Perhaps that was worse. She cried harder than she had since Mike cheated on her and hit her, but the only sounds she made were sobs. And she wouldn't let go of Bastion's hand, even though she felt it slowly turning to ice in her grip.

Finally, she had to let him go. "V-Violet... we have to put him in the morgue," Fonda Fontaine said gently. "W-we have to..."

Annie could feel her friend resisting. "V-Violet... we can't... We have to let him go," she added through her own grief. Her mind screamed that this could not be happening... 'Bastion can't be dead,' her mind cried out.

Violet sniffled, shaking her head slightly. In her disheveled, grief-drowned mind, Bastion was still somehow alive if she continued to hold on to him like this. He wouldn't be truly dead unless she let go. "Violet..." Katai moved and laid her hand on her daughter-in-law's, the hand holding Bastion's rapidly chilling one. "He's... he's gone, honey... I don't want it to be, either, but... there was nothing..." She moved one warm, living hand between Violet's and Bastion's, wishing that her son would take a breath and live.

When the contact was broken, it was as if the purple-haired teenager broke as well. A single shudder passed through her body, and then she shattered. Sliding out of her seat and to her knees on the floor, Violet Angeline Haverbrook buried her face into the blankets of Bastion's hospital bed and cried her heart out.

Bastion was irretrievably gone, and the entire group grieved. They made their way back to Obelisk, all deciding to stay together in the same dorm. Annie, Violet and Sy went to the room they had shared with Bastion for an entire year. "Violet... do you want me to stay with you tonight?" the dark-haired girl asked gently, wanting to do what she could to help.

Violet refused, choosing to be alone, and Annie and Syrus had gone to bed. But in the morning, Annie headed to Violet's room... "Violet? It's Annie... I have..." She had brought breakfast, but dropped it on the floor at the horrible sight that greeted her blue eyes. Violet lay on her bed, at first glance appearing to be in a peaceful sleep. However, at second glance one could easily see that something was wrong. Her normally pale skin was as white as the sheets she laid on, and her normally pink lips were an icy shade of blue. Violet's chest remained still, neither rising nor falling to signal her breathing. On the end table beside the bed sat a bottle of sleeping pills she'd had in the medicine cabinet of the bedroom's bathroom. The story told itself within seconds.

"NO!" Annie shrieked, running to her friend and beginning CPR, even though she knew it was too late. And when it became clear her friend was beyond reach...

WAKING FROM TERROR

Annie awoke, screaming. "NO!! VIOLET!!!!" Her eyes were practically popping out of her head as she screamed, tears running down her face.

Syrus nearly jumped out of his skin at the screaming, barely catching his balance as he came quite close to falling out of the bed. His own eyes were wide and his heart pounded in his chest as he looked over at Annie; she looked blurry because his glasses were off. "A-Annie?! Wh-what's wrong? Are you okay??"

But Annie kept screaming for Violet. Back in the room, before anyone could even say a word, Violet was out of her seat and out the door. She ran, even though it was only a short distance, and Mary floated after her. When she got to the classroom and saw her best friend in tears, she was by her side in seconds. "Annie?"

Annie's face was still white and terrified from the nightmare. But she threw her arms around her friend, sobbing. "You're... okay," she hiccupped.

Violet returned the hug, holding Annie close and keeping her grip tight. "I... I am... Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, confused and worried.

"What happened?" Mary asked Syrus as he quickly put on his glasses.

"I-I don't know! She just started screaming..."

For several minutes, Annie held onto Violet, crying her heart out. When she finally managed to speak again, she said, "You... you killed yourself..."

Violet stiffened slightly and paled. "I... I what?"

"I... I dreamed... B-Bastion... died... and you couldn't take it..." The dark-haired girl remained very pale and the fright in her eyes would not abate. "You... went back to our suite... and I didn't check on you well enough... You overdosed on pills and..." The sobs wracked her again, so real had the nightmare been. Violet kept her arms wrapped around Annie, rubbing her back soothingly. She didn't know what to say for a very simple reason. Had Bastion really died, she could see herself doing such a thing. "Don't die, Violet... don't die," Annie whispered, terrified. She knew as well that her dream could very well have shown the past.

"I won't, Annie... I won't. I promise," Violet whispered, closing her own eyes.

Annie knew if Violet said it, she'd fight to make it so. "I need to get up... and see Bastion okay..."

Violet tensed. "Uh, Annie..."

Syrus noticed the change in both Violet and her spiritual twin, and frowned. "Violet, Mary... did something happen?"

"Violet... what is it? Is he..?" Annie asked, hugging Violet a bit tighter.

"N-no, he's not... but he... he almost..." Violet couldn't form the words as she now hugged Annie more to be comforted than to comfort.

"He was about to toss himself out the window, okay?" Mary finally stated, crossing her arms over her chest. Her bluntness obviously stemmed from her discomfort as well as her usual blunt way of speaking.

Annie's eyes went wide. "No... He... He really did, didn't he?"

Violet could only nod, holding back more tears that wanted to spill forth. Syrus's own eyes were wide with shock. "No... no way... Why would he do that?"

"It's what Darkness fed him," Annie managed to say, shivering. "And then... His condition causes depression... it made him worse..."

"If I hadn't gone to his room when I did, he... he might have," Violet murmured, voice shaking at the thought.

"Then... I have to get up..." Annie said clearly moving to get out of bed.

"Annie, wait. Are you sure you're okay?" Syrus asked, still worried for his fiancée.

"I... have to see, Sy," she answered, heart breaking for her best friend and surrogate brother and meeting her love's eyes. "And I have to help..."

He sighed. "All right..."

And together the three headed back to the infirmary, Annie still clad in her pajamas. Fonda looked up from her desk as the three returned. "Annie?"

"Fonda... I have to see him," the girl responded, expression still worried. She had to see Bastion for herself and reassure herself that he was indeed alive. The nurse escorted her into the room, despite the late hour.

"You won't go back to sleep, will you?" the nurse asked kindly. Annie shook her head and then looked at the parents and doctors inside the infirmary ICU. "Hi," she said softly.

"Annie, are you all right?" Hiro asked, remembering the scream from earlier.

The girl was about to nod her head, but shook it, quickly explaining her nightmare and brief conversation with Violet. "... And I had to be sure he was still here," she finished, voice shaking a little. "I... I just... I can't take it..."

Katai, from her position holding Bastion's hand, motioned the dark-haired girl over to her. "Annie... sweetheart... I know you're scared," she said, wrapping an arm around her. "But he's alive... Violet got here in time... And Alex and Scout both think that Bastion didn't have the strength to get out that window. He collapsed when Violet got hold of him..."

"No, he would've found a way... and he still will if we don't do something... I could tell when I stopped him; he won't give up... If we don't do something soon, it'll be too late," Violet stated seriously, though her voice shook from truth of her words.

"Then... we have to work fast," Annie said, her eyes beginning to burn with determination. "We're going to have to do what we did when this all started. If I'd just figured it out before Darkness got you and Bastion, Violet..." She looked at Bastion while saying it, but there was no hiding the guilt in her voice.

"Annie, don't start blaming yourself for us getting caught like we did. It was mostly our own fault... what matters is that you helped the others stay safe, and in the end we got out of there okay," Violet interrupted.

"How was it mostly your fault? And you didn't get out of there okay..."

"Bastion and I knew we had problems. We could have tried to face them, but we were too scared. And when we were confronted, we hardly put up a fight. And as for getting out of there... it could have been worse, Annie. A lot worse..." Violet had wondered more than once what may have happened had Bastion not pulled her up.

"But I didn't do enough... especially after you got nabbed... I was so stupid..." It gnawed at Annie that she hadn't been able to help Bastion pull out of that dive that led to him willingly going to the World of Darkness. "Why didn't I see it..?"

Violet went over to Annie and put her hands on her shoulders. "Annie, stop getting on yourself like this. Anyone else could have figured it out, but they didn't. You should be glad that you did, instead of blaming yourself for not figuring it out sooner."

"She's right," Scout added, looking at Bastion's readouts. "What you realized, Annie, saved so many others... Don't put yourself in danger..."

Annie sighed softly, trying to calm the battle within herself. "I just wish... I could've prevented it..."

"But you did save a lot of people," Alex pointed out, "and I think Violet and Bastion would've been worse if they'd stayed there any longer. But you gave your friends what they needed to get to Bastion, Violet and all the others. Remember that." And Annie managed a smile. They all were right.

"But I don't get how we're going to help Bastion when he's still so weak," Syrus sighed, frowning.

And then Annie looked at Violet. "Violet... we have to start with you... You have to be his strength here... And that means we get you better..."

Violet blinked in surprise, glancing away and fidgeting a bit. "D... do we have to...?" she murmured, unsure.

The dark-haired girl disengaged from her surrogate brother and his mother and turned to grip her surrogate sister's hand. "Yes... Violet, you're stronger right now... Bastion is in no condition to do as we did with everybody else... If we tried now, I think he'd relapse... And if you don't confront this, Violet... you'll fall..."

"B-but... I..." The purple-haired teen sighed, realizing there was no getting out of this. "F-fine..."

"Violet, I know it's really scary, but... this is something you've got to do," Annie murmured. "And it's better if you do it sooner... We'll do it in the morning...."

Katai moved to hug Violet too. "Sweetheart, I'll be with you if you want me to be..."

Violet hugged back, grateful for the offer. "Can you?"

"Of course, Violet... I want you to be happy and free of this pain... And I'll do anything to help you get better."

"Thanks, Katai... I think you'll be a big help..."

Katai hugged a little bit tighter. "I just wish I could do more, Violet..." And then Bastion, through his sedation, cried out unintelligibly.

Violet's full attention instantly switched to her fiancé, all thoughts of what was to come shoved to the back of her mind. "Bastion?!"

The cry was a weak one, but it indicated some sort of fear. Annie shivered. And then Bastion murmured, "Violet... don't... Just let me..."

Violet gently grasped his hand with her own, frowning deeply. "Bastion..."

"He's still thinking about it," Annie murmured, eyes moving to his vital signs. They were stable and indicative of a body on the mend, but the monitors couldn't show the condition of his fragile mind.

"We can't leave him alone again, even if he's sleeping," Violet said softly.

Annie shook her head. "This is not going to be easy... Violet... you've gotta sleep... I've slept for almost two days."

Violet frowned again as she looked at her best friend. "I can't leave him... not now..."

Alex smiled gently. "If you want to sleep in the same bed now... you can."

Violet's face lit up for the first time in a while. "I... I can? Really?"

Alex nodded. "He's off the respirator and you might keep him soothed, Violet."

"Well, in that case... I guess I can get some sleep."

"Good." Alex stepped out, allowing Katai and Annie to help Violet get ready for and into bed.

"All comfortable, sweetie?" Katai asked when Violet was lying next to Bastion.

"Yeah. Thanks," Violet murmured, already beginning to drift with her arms wrapped securely around her fiancé.

Katai started to sing softly as the young woman drifted off. It was, oddly, a song from a little known anime that she knew both the English and Japanese lyrics to. On this occasion, she went with the English lyrics of the lullaby from "Key the Metal Idol." Violet was asleep in less than a minute, feeling more comfortable than she had since before Bastion was admitted.

Scout tiptoed into the room at this moment, flanked by Hiro Misawa, the latter who had been on a school computer, researching all he could to help his only child. "Annie... sweetie, you don't have to stay up. We can take over," the pediatric surgeon whispered, taking care not to wake the sleeping couple.

"But... Bastion and Violet need me," the girl murmured. She really didn't want to leave.

"Annie, we know you want to help. And you will. But right now you can be more of a help by taking a rest and letting us have a turn," Hiro explained calmly and firmly, keeping his tone kind.

Annie was prepared to argue, but saw the steeliness in Hiro's eyes. She nodded, accepting it. The fact remained that she was still seventeen. "Okay... I didn't think... I mean... I'm not even pre-med yet..."

He smiled a little. "It's all right, Annie. I don't blame you for not remembering. You're not in medical school yet, but you've been doing the work of a student."

"Thanks, Hiro... You guys'll wake me if anything happens, though, right?"

"Of course. Now, you go get some more rest. You'll need it..."

Annie nodded and headed out of the room to the great room. No one was asleep yet. Jaden was sitting up on his air mattress with Alexis, still upset from what he'd seen. "I still can't believe Bastion did that..."

Alexis had her arms around him. "His mind's messed up right now, Jay... what he did... He must have thought it was good for us..."

"He was just standing there... Now I know how Mom and Dad felt," he murmured thoughtfully.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"When I was seven and messed up... Mom and Dad caught me before I did it...."

Her eyes widened. She'd known, of course, that her love had gone through a rough patch. However, he hadn't ever told of an actual attempt. "Jaden, you didn't..."

Jaden looked down at the blankets, remembering the evening his parents had realized they had a suicidal child on their hands. "Mom and Dad had taken me to school that day and it went okay for a while. But then... some kids started teasing me, calling me Freak and Curse-boy, telling me to stay away from them because I'd hurt them if I dueled them. One kid said, 'Go kill yourself, Yuki... we don't need you around...' And then some of them shoved me around and the teachers broke it up. And then Dad came and picked me up. That night, I was really upset and I went to Mom's medicine cabinet... I found some pills... and I had some juice and... I started taking them..."

"Oh, Jay... how did your parents know?"

"Dad found me taking them," Jaden explained softly. "He pulled the bottle away from me and they rushed me right to the ER..." He shook a little, and added, "I'd taken 25 pills when Dad found me..."

She hugged him to her, having never thought he truly could do such a thing. "Jaden... you never tried again, did you?

Jaden thought quickly. "No. I was in the psych ward for a few days and then in therapy with Dr. Yancy after that. And I got the idea that it wouldn't make anything better..."

"That's good... I'm glad you realized that and haven't forgotten it. Bastion's going to need to learn the same thing..."

"Yeah... I mean, the feeling came back that I should when... he came," Jaden shivered.

"He??" Alexis asked.

"Haou," Jaden whispered, remembering when the PTSD had returned, and the Supreme King had first appeared, threatening his sanity.

"I'm not surprised... but now he's gone, and you should never have to feel that way again. There's never a good reason for anyone to do that..."

"I know... I just hope whatever's got Bastion... we can free him..."

Annie had just entered the room and gave updates. "He's sleeping now and Violet is too... His dreams are all messed up..."

"Annie, we're going to have to do what we did weeks ago. What we did to get rid of our darkness," Alexis stated.

"We have to take care of Violet first... Bastion's still too weak..."

"When do you think we should do it? It's too late now..."

Annie sank onto a chair as the other young adults and remaining students moved close. "Tomorrow morning.... We have to break through what's hurting Violet... if we don't strengthen her... I don't want to think about what'll happen..."

"And if she's stronger, then she'll help Bastion more. It'll be easier to get him through what's hurting him," Rosa stated thoughtfully.

Blair nodded in agreement. "He needs all of us, but her especially. Annie, were you going to stay in there?"

"Yeah... but Scout and Hiro reminded me of my age and that I haven't even been accepted into a pre-med program yet..." Annie blushed lightly at the admission.

"It's okay, Annie. Things have been crazy for so long," Atticus soothed, sweat-dropping.

"Maybe... we all need to go to bed," Chazz suggested.

"Good idea, bro. We'll need the rest for tomorrow..."

"Yeah..." With that, the gang headed to their makeshift beds.

Annie and Sy settled in with the rest of the group as did Zane. "It's so weird to be in here like this... during the summer," the oldest Truesdale brother whispered to the younger one.

"Yeah... I just hope that after this, we won't be in the hospital again unless it's for, uh... good reasons," Syrus whispered, blushing a little at the thought.

Zane smirked back a little, noticing that Annie had drifted off, despite her nearly two-day nap. "Yeah... you guys have had enough of bad reasons..."

Syrus, flustered, felt like changing the subject. "Um, so... have you found anyone yet, big bro?"

Zane turned a little bit red. "Well.... Jackie and I are really getting serious..."

Now it was Sy's turn to smirk. "Oh? How serious?"

Zane was uncharacteristically blushing now. "Well... uh... Sy... uh... We're... well..."

Syrus laughed, though he made sure it was quiet. "Zane, I've never seen you so embarrassed."

"Well... Mom knows..."

"Knows what? Come on, bro. You can tell me..."

Zane stretched a little and decided he couldn't delay the inevitable. "Sy... Jackie and I are really, really serious... We were talking about just going to Las Vegas..."

"What? Zane, do you mean..." Syrus was smiling and his eyes were lit-up with excitement.

Zane nodded quietly, red from his pajama collar to the top of his head. "Yeah..."

Syrus's smile became a happy grin, and he threw his arms around his brother. "That's great, Zane!"

Zane hugged back. "Yeah... We've practically been living together anyway...."

"You have?"

"Yeah... See, we met not too long after Annie started recovering and we got to be good friends, and then... We had a lot of duels together. We stayed in the same hotels and had dinner together a lot. And then... we ended up staying in a suite together." Zane flushed. "She had a bed and I had one... We ended up staying up half the night watching stupid movies."

Syrus smiled softly. This was a side of his brother he'd never seen before; that alone told him that this girl was special to him. "Well, I'm glad that you found someone, bro. And I bet mom's Happy too," he joked.

"Yeah... Sy, I'm crazy about her... And it's... amazing," Zane admitted.

The younger Truesdale nodded in understanding. "Now you know how I feel about Annie. Somehow, when you find the right person, you just... know."

"Yeah..." Zane looked over at his future sister-in-law, smiling a bit. "You were the best thing that happened to each other, Sy... I was glad you found each other."

Syrus smiled a bit. "I know... I'm glad we met. And that we've made it this far, even after all that's happened..."

Zane took a deep breath. "Sy... listen... I need to tell you something else... Mom and Dad don't know yet..."

The bespectacled teen blinked. "Zane? What is it?"

"Sy... Jackie's pregnant," the older Truesdale whispered, looking around and noticing that Yusuke and Atticus were both sound asleep now. He couldn't help but dread their reactions.

_We know, we know… More drama! But at least this might be… happy drama? Is there such a thing? Next time, please join us for "Dramatic Chipmunk!" So until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you!_


	57. Dramatic Chipmunk

Chapter LVII: Dramatic Chipmunk

_--__**Peach and Ani walk onstage— **__Welcome back, everyone to another chapter of Darkness Falls, and yes, you read the chapter title correctly!__** Ani grins… **__Blame Peach. For once, the randomness came from HER, not ME.__** Peach grins sheepishly… **__It's true... Blame YouTube and the Dramatic Chipmunk video. I watched the video one too many times, I guess. Anyway as always, we thank you all so much for reading our stories and leaving reviews._

_**Ani jumps up and down excitedly… **__Yup. Even if I don't get them directly, Peach sends 'em my way so I still get to read 'em.__**Peach smiles… **__So please keep sending. We read and try to respond to all of them! And now, a brief recap... Darn it! I know it's somewhere!_

_**Ani is whistling innocently with hands behind her back.**__ Ani... *Peach moves to her co-author* Where did you put it? __**Ani flails and pouts…**__ What makes you think I did it?!__**Peach raises an eyebrow… **__You're holding something behind your back... __**Ani frowns…**__FINE! __**She reveals Dramatic Chipmunk with required dramatic music**__… Happy now?!_

_**Peach falls over**__… Not what I was expecting... Okay... now where was that... Oh! There it is! -__**Opens copy of Yu-Gi-Oh Duelist manga and pulls out paper**__- Okay, last time, Bastion tried to kill himself but Violet managed to stop him in time. Annie had a nightmare of a past where Bastion and Violet both died. Jaden revealed just how depressed he was in his childhood, and then Zane dropped a major bombshell about himself and his girlfriend._

_**Ani blinks again **__...You sure the LAST chapter wasn't titled "Dramatic Chipmunk?" __**Dramatic Chipmunk turns again, accompanied with more dramatic music**__._

_Oh, I'm sure, Ani... We've had so much drama lately... __**Peach and Ani notice characters glaring at us and sweat-drop**__. Uh..._

_-__**Jaden comes on stage**__- Yeah... I was a little emo kid!_

_--__**Violet comes on stage as well and flails**__— YOU HAD BASTION TRY TO COMMIT SUICIDE!!_

_--__**Ani flails as well, frowning**__— I WOULD NEVER LET HIM DIE. YOU KNOW THAT!_

_-__**Bastion comes on stage**__- Well, at least they've tried to give me an ending..._

_BASTION!!! --__**Ani glomps Bastion**__--_

_--__**Violet fumes**__-- HEY!!_

_-__**Annie comes on stage reading the script for the next few chapters**__- Okay... you guys are getting a break..._

_**--Both Bastion-lovers look at Annie and blink**__-- Huh? --__**Violet points at Ani**__-- Hey! You should already know about this!__ -__**Peach grins sheepishly**__- Ani-chan, remember? Good things happen... but a bad thing happens? But not to these two?_

_--__**Ani thinks long and hard**__-- ...Oh.. OH! RIGHT! --__**sweat-drop**__--__ -__**Tyson grabs the script**__- Give it here, Private Annie... -__**Looks**__- Whoa... But I'll bet the authors don't want to let their readers know too soon, right? __**--Ani thinks about it-- **__NOPE! *snatches script and burns it*_

_-__**Peach grins, thinking of her back-ups**__- Anyway... Well, that was last time... -__**The cast leaves the stage leaving the co-authors**__- Now, before we begin the next chapter, we need to address a rather serious situation in it. In this chapter, we're dealing with a matter close to our hearts... Zane and his intended are dealing with a situation that is perhaps more common than people think._

_I, Peach, am adopted. I love the parents I'm with, and wouldn't have it otherwise. But I do sometimes wonder what happened with the people who gave me the life that I now have. They were seventeen when I came, and I wonder how they told their parents. I can only hope that their parents were supportive and let their children choose what was right, rather than reacting in anger. It's hard not to know what motivated the people who gave birth to me and gave me to the loving parents I have, but for whatever reason they did, and for that, I am forever grateful._

_I, Ani, was luckier than Peach because I'm with the parents who gave birth to me, but my parents faced a similar problem. My mother was only seventeen when she realized she was pregnant, and both my father and her mother encouraged her to get an abortion. They did not react in anger, but were merely worried about my mother's future as a teenage mom. Luckily, my father changed his mind minutes before the actual operation, saving my life. Their parents came to accept it, and six months after my birth my parents were married. I am glad that my grandparents were understanding, and that my father did not leave my mother; which is the usual case. It's had an immense affect on me and the way I view the world, and I would not be the woman I am today had it happened any differently._

_We each were shaped by the knowledge of our beginnings, and it is our wish that the parents of young people who are undergoing such life-changing experiences choose their words and actions carefully. For such words and actions will shape the coming child in ways that they cannot possibly predict._

_Now that the heavy stuff is out of the way, we have to do the legal stuff... again... __When will you people get that we OWN NOTHING?!__ It's lawyers... we have to do it... Okay, what don't we own again? We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise__...You're expecting me to remember what we don't own? FFFF. --__**Ani goes back to her Vocaloid fan art**__--__ Basically, if a major corporation owns it, we don't. All we own are our OCs, this storyline, our version of the Yugi-verse and anything that's not of monetary value. Anything else we need to add, Ani? __Nothing I can think of.__ Okay, then! Onto the chapter!_

_**Warning: Some language and the portrayal of Zane Truesdale's inner chibi.**_

"What?" Syrus barely stopped himself from shouting the word in his surprise.

Zane whispered back, "Yeah... she's pregnant and... Mom and Dad don't know yet, and neither do her parents... She's the only girl in the family... But... I'm going to be a dad in 7 months..." And an odd expression traced across Zane's face... fear.

"Zane, that... that's great! But... you're nervous, aren't you?" Syrus asked, able to sense it even without seeing the expression. He had gotten a similar feeling when he simply thought about parenthood; actually realizing it was an entirely different level of fear.

"Yeah... I just... wonder what kind of dad I'm going to be... But Jackie and I didn't think about that when... well, you can guess what happened..." Zane told his brother how he and Jackie's relationship had become physical one night after he had won a duel. They had been close after that, and about a month later, she realized she was likely pregnant. The couple had decided not to tell their parents just yet.

"Bro, I know you're going to be a great dad. You're a good big brother now, and that usually means you'll be the same way as a father," Syrus said reassuringly.

"Yeah... It's just... quite a big thing..." Zane shifted a bit. "We didn't intend for it this soon, but... well, we were committed to each other and... we'll just have some things ahead of schedule... I've got my eye on a place in Domino..." He took a deep breath. "We're just thinking of getting married quietly and go to Vegas to do it. This is your summer for that... I'm not going to take that away from you..."

"Zane... it's okay. I'm glad that you've found someone, really. You can get married how and when you want to... it's only fair," Syrus replied reassuringly again, sweat-dropping.

Zane considered that. "You want to be my best man?" he asked softly.

The younger boy grinned, his happiness and excitement obvious. "Yeah!" Luckily, he remembered to keep his voice down.

"Good... I'll call Jackie in the morning," Zane grinned. "How do you think Mom's going to take this?"

Syrus thought for a few moments. "She'll be surprised... uh, she might faint, bro. She'll also be really excited and ecstatic- she'll probably cry," he guessed.

"I can handle that... Dad'll be cool... I'm really glad Atticus doesn't know yet," the older boy muttered.

There was a mutter nearby, followed by a yawn and the thud of one Atticus Rhodes rolling off of his air mattress. Propping himself up on an elbow, he looked over at the brothers through sleep-filled eyes. "Hm? Wha--? Did someone say my name?" he muttered tiredly.

Syrus face-planted the mattress. "You jinxed it, bro," he whispered.

"Uh... Hi Atticus," Zane said softly. His brain wasn't quite working right at this point because otherwise he would've said, "Go back to sleep; the muffins aren't ready yet." But now, his mind was screaming, "OMG OMG OMG! I AM SO SCREWED!!" And in his mind's eye, his inner chibi was running around in a panic.

As such, the eldest Rhodes sibling blinked a few times and stared at Zane in slight surprise. Now he KNEW something was up. "Zane? What is it? You might as well tell me because I know you, and you're hiding something... Now spill!"

In Zane's mind, chibi Zane face-planted on the floor. In real life, Zane sighed. And then Yusuke woke up. "Guys... what's going on? It's after midnight..." Chibi Zane groaned into the mind floor.

"Uh," Zane began in real life and then froze. "All right... Atticus... you've seen the pictures of my girlfriend in the magazines and on the Internet, right?"

Syrus felt bad for his brother, but there was no getting out of it now. Atticus was now sitting at full attention, eager to hear a secret his best friend had been hiding away. "Of course."

Yusuke too nodded. "Yeah, that red-haired gal that sort of looks like Alexis, right?"

"Yeah... Well, we're really serious and..." Zane turned an unmistakable shade of red.

"Dude... what's wrong?" Yusuke asked in concern. It hadn't taken the chlorine-blonde-haired young man long to remember what Zane looked like when he was tense. It also hadn't taken him long to remember that Zane rarely, if ever, blushed.

Now Atticus REALLY had to find out; seeing Zane Truesdale blush was a rarity among rarities. "Ooooh, it's gonna be somethin' good, Yusuke!"

Chibi Zane was off the floor and running around in a panic again. Real Zane's heart was pounding a mile a minute. "Well... we're... really serious... And... she's pregnant..."

Silence... It seemed to last for hours, when in reality it lasted about... ten seconds. That was the limit for Atticus to hold back his laughter, and then he was practically rolling on the floor. "Ha ha ha! Good one, Zane! I didn't pin you as a 'tell a joke in the middle of the night' kind of person, though."

Yusuke, however, was operating under no such assumption. His jaw dropped. "Zane?"

"I'm not kidding, guys...." Zane's expression, despite the blush, was gravely serious.

Atticus, seeing the expression, blinked a few times. Then he sat up. And then, he promptly fell over again, but this time in shock. "WHAT?!"

Poor Zane... If only Atticus hadn't yelled... but he had. All over the room, heads flew up. Next to Syrus, Annie woke up, upper body lifting off the mattress as if propelled from a cannon. "WHAT THE...?! WAS VIOLET RIGHT?! ARE THE ALIENS ATTACKING?!" she yelped.

Syrus sweat-dropped. "Uh... no... nothing's attacking, Annie," he muttered, grinning sheepishly. He gave his big brother a few pats on the back in an effort to give him some confidence.

Atticus sweat-dropped as well. "Uh... whoops?"

Jaden too was up, dragging Alexis with him. "What the heck?! Guys, is everything all right?!" He was half-expecting to drag out his duel disk and have to save the world again. Miss Fontaine had just hit the lights in the infirmary and everyone was blinking, getting their eyes adjusted.

"What in the world?" Scout Rhodes asked, coming out of Bastion and Violet's room. She did not look happy. "Atticus Lee Rhodes, what in heaven's name are you doing waking everyone?!"

Atticus gave a sheepish laugh and tried to hide behind his pillow. "Uh, sorry, mom... I, um... heard something shocking, that's all... I didn't mean to..."

"Scout... it was my fault," Zane apologized.

Scout placed her arms akimbo and frowned. "What was so important that it made Atticus yell like that? Hopefully it didn't wake Violet and Bastion up..."

"Uh... Scout... I haven't told Mom and Dad about this yet... And... it's hard..."

Scout's expression softened. "Zane... sweetie, do you feel comfortable telling me? Maybe I can help..."

The young man met his best friend's mother's eyes. "I... got my girlfriend pregnant..."

The entire room once again went silent with shock. And then, there was a light thud as Alexis Rhodes hit her air mattress, unconscious. Apparently, the news had come as such a shock— it being ZANE and all— that she'd passed out. "LEX!" Jaden shouted, kneeling quickly. And then Zane's words hit him. "You WHAT?!" he yelped, just before he hit the mattress too.

Annie's eyes widened. Of all the things her future brother-in-law could have said, this was extremely shocking. "Seriously? Seriously?!" she asked, eyes the size of tea cup saucers.

Syrus nodded. "Seriously... and, uh... are Jay and Alexis gonna be okay?"

Jaden and Alexis, thankfully, were already coming around. "Ooh... I dreamed Zane said he got his girlfriend pregnant," Jaden groaned as he sat up slowly. "Sy... that was a weird dream..."

"Uh, Jaden? That... actually happened," Syrus replied, grinning sheepishly.

Alexis shook her head, still rather stunned by it all. "I can't believe it. Zane, really?"

Zane's face was still flushed as he looked at his best male friend, his other guy friend, his surrogate sister, his future sister-in-law, his little brother and his brother by friendship and his mom's close friend. "Yeah," he said finally. "It's true..." Now perhaps if Jaden and Alexis hadn't fallen over like chopped trees, Zane might've been able to relax. But now, his inner chibi was sitting in a corner while everyone in the room was looking angrily at him. There was a thunderbolt and he fell into the abyss, screaming.

Fortunately for Zane, that mental nightmare didn't come to pass. In fact, what he saw in everyone's eyes was exactly what he needed; he needed the compassion and actual happiness he saw. Scout, taking the cue from the teachers and her friends and colleagues moved forward to the 20-year-old father-to-be. "Zane, you have nothing to fear from any of us. These things do happen, and even though I think your parents would've preferred you wait until you were married, I think they'll be happy just the same that they're going to have two daughters-in-law and a grandchild on the way. If you want, in the morning, we can make some phone calls. And did I hear the words, 'go to Vegas?'"

Zane's eyes widened in shock as he looked into Scout's eyes. "You weren't in here..."

"No, but I'm a mom; I'm supposed to seem omniscient..."

Everyone looked at Jaden. "I know what it means... Geez," he groaned.

Scout grinned, knowing the situation, allowing Zane to get his mind around it. She continued, smiling, "I think you might want to reconsider... The paparazzi would follow you there..."

"But... I don't want to take away from any of you guys," he said, glancing around at the three couples and thinking of the fourth, still asleep in the infirmary's ICU.

Syrus, having already voiced his opinion, let the others do so now. Alexis rolled her eyes a bit and smirked at Zane like he was a little kid who didn't understand something simple. "Zane, do you really think having a nice wedding with everyone would take away from us?"

Something in Zane's demeanor wasn't going away. "Look, Lexi, it's just..." It was one time in his life that Zane really couldn't articulate what he was feeling. His mind was a complete jumble. He couldn't escape the feeling that he might be taking away from his brother and his friends.

But Jaden, in another rare insightful moment, moved forward. "Zane, you're worried you're taking something from Sy, right?" Zane nodded. The brunette former Slifer looked back at his surrogate brother. "Sy... do you feel that way?"

Syrus, a little surprised by Jaden's insight, blinked. "Uh, no..." He looked up at his big brother. "Bro, I want you to be happy, too. And I'm glad that you found someone and want to get married. If you have a wedding like ours, it won't be taking anything from me. In fact, it'll add to the happiness everyone will feel. Right, guys?"

They all nodded. Zane still seemed doubtful. But Jaden took a breath. "Zane, look, Sy just said he doesn't feel like you're taking anything away from him and wants you to be happy... So... let us help so you have as happy of a day as we're going to have when Violet and Bastion are okay. All right?"

Zane blinked. "Uh..."

And then Annie moved to her future brother-in-law. "Zane, it's okay... If you think you're making up for something, you made up long ago. You had all of our second year, pretty much and you and Sy got close again. And if anything, if you want a good wedding, not having it will take away from our joy. So tell us what we can do. Right, Sy?" she asked her husband-to-be for confirmation. Syrus nodded, hoping that his brother would finally understand that he wasn't hurting them by being happy.

And Zane finally relaxed a bit. "Okay... I'll call Jackie first thing this morning... And then... we can talk to both our parents at the same time... And then... I think Jackie and I are still going to want a quiet wedding... And... could it be here?"

The instructors all looked at each other. "Of course, Zane," Chancellor Shepherd answered with a smile. "But maybe we should all go back to bed..."

"That sounds like a great idea," Atticus piped up, grinning sheepishly.

And so the tired people headed back to their mattresses. "Hey, Sy?" Zane whispered in the returning darkness.

"Yeah, Zane?"

"I meant it. I want you to be my best man..."

Syrus was surprised for a moment, but then that feeling melted into joy. "Thanks, Zane."

"No one else I'd rather have, bro..." And then a thought occurred to the groom-to-be. "Oh, no... Atticus will want to plan a bachelor party..." Zane's imagination ran wild at just what his best friend might plan.

The younger Truesdale grinned in the darkness. "Yeah... you'd better be careful, bro."

A few air mattresses down, Jasmine gripped her boyfriend's hand, hoping he would restrain himself. "Do I have to worry?" she whispered.

Atticus groaned. "No... I haven't even thought of anything yet. And I know Zane's limits... it'll be a little crazy, yeah, but nothing extreme."

"Good... Don't go too crazy," she murmured, moving off her mattress to kiss him. And then in a moment of resolve, she pushed her air mattress next to his. "I'm ready for this..." She cuddled next to him, smiling.

Atticus, surprised, blushed a little; but then he wrapped an arm around her and smiled. "Okay... I am, too. Night, Jazzy..."

"Night, Atticus... I love you," she murmured, gray eyes closing.

"I love you too..." he murmured back, brushing his lips against her forehead. And again the room was peaceful.

GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX GX

The next day dawned with both joy and apprehension. The gang that could arose and had breakfast, preparing for the fight that would come when they dealt with Violet's inner darkness. And for Zane, he was dealing with the additional pressure of talking to his fiancée and then both their parents. "Should I do this before you guys help Violet?" he wondered.

Annie thought about it. "I think you should, Zane, because we need you focused. And we'll be there for you too, all right?"

"Yeah," he answered.

Zane took a very shaky breath. "Atticus, Lexi, Chazz... I need you guys in there..." On his face was an emotion the group had all rarely seen and yet had seen in the past 10 hours: fear.

Alexis smiled a little and placed a reassuring hand on his upper arm. "Okay, Zane. We understand... we'll be there for you."

The pro duelist met the young woman's eyes with gratitude and the supportive smiles of his best friend and little brother. And without saying a word, the Rhodes siblings, their mother, Annie and Syrus followed him down to Chancellor Shepherd's office. They all placed themselves on the couch, Zane sitting where he was completely visible. And he dialed the number of a young woman he loved very much.

Finally the phone rang and she picked up. Scout's eyes widened in shock at the sight of a red-haired, green eyed version of her daughter. "Hey, Jackie," Zane greeted gently, noticing that she looked much paler than usual.

Jackie O'Connell was a very attractive young Irish-American woman, still owning a few freckles from childhood. They now stuck out against her unusual pallor, and she had the first signs of dark circles under her eyes. Only her torso could be seen in the picture, revealing that she was in a black tank top. She smiled a bit when Zane greeted her. "Hey, Zane. Sorry I didn't answer right away-- I haven't been feeling the best lately," she said in a soft alto voice.

"I know, Jax... It's okay... You've been having rough mornings," he murmured softly. "I'm sorry I hadn't called yet to check in," he apologized.

She managed a small grin. "It's all right, mo run." Her Irish accent, an inheritance from her father came out thickly here as she used an Irish term of endearment; "mo run," pronounced ruin, meaning "my dear." "Things have been hectic out there for you and your friends. Speaking of them, mind introducin' me?"

"Oh, yeah..." Zane quickly turned and introduced them. "This is my brother, Sy and his fiancée Annie Hanson..."

"Pleased to meet you, Jackie," Annie smiled happily.

"Hi, Jackie. Glad to finally meet you," Syrus greeted, smiling.

"Oh, so these be the two I've heard so much about. Zane wouldn't stop talkin' about ya and how you were gettin' married," Jackie replied with a teasing grin. Syrus blushed.

Zane continued, "And this is Dr. Jean Louise Rhodes, but everyone calls her Scout."

"Hi, sweetie," Scout greeted.

"And these are Atticus, Alexis and Chazz Rhodes. Atticus and I have been best friends since we were in diapers..." And then Zane noticed Alexis and Jackie were staring at each other in shock.

As if to promote their similar appearance, both girls pointed at each other and spoke at the same moment. "She looks just like me!" Atticus blinked, then snickered at the random coincidence.

To his credit, Zane really hadn't noticed. Chazz's eyes were wide. "Whoa... Sis, you have two clones!" he blurted out.

"Oh, right, there's Willow, too... that's just weird," Alexis groaned, rubbing her forehead.

"Wait, there's someone else who looks like me- er, us?" Jackie asked, blinking a few times in confusion. This was all news to her.

Zane grinned sheepishly. "Y'know, I hadn't thought about it, Jax, but it's true. One of our friends here... His girlfriend has black hair and blue eyes but she looks a lot like both of you... Anyway... We've got to tell our parents... It can't wait anymore..." His expression went from sheepish to grave rather quickly.

Jackie's eyes widened at the sudden change, and she frowned a little. Obviously, he'd told at least those present. "Zane, but you said..."

"Jax... listen... things have changed... And we can fly you out here and get married quietly... No press," he explained gently yet seriously.

She seemed to consider this. "Are... are you sure, mo run? I mean... I'd hate to take away from your friends' and brother's weddin'. They've had this planned longer than us, after all..."

"It won't take away..."

"Jackie... it's all right. We can't get married for a while longer, anyway," Annie explained too. "And we'd love it if you did here. It won't be big but... you're fairly early into your pregnancy and the last thing you need is stress... So come out here and we'll be glad to get you and Zane married."

Jackie seemed to hesitate for a moment longer, but then she smiled a bit and nodded. "All right, then. If you're sure. I—" Suddenly, her eyes widened, and her pallor took on a light green tinge. "E-excuse me." Standing, she left the viewing screen in a rush, and soon there was the sound of a door closing.

"Oh, goodness," Scout murmured in sympathy, "and it's her first one... I wasn't sick with Atty..." She smiled, remembering. "I was, however, sick with you, Alexis..."

Alexis grinned sheepishly. "That's one thing I'm not looking forward to... morning sickness..."

Annie blushed a little. "It won't be fun... but... the end result is worth it, isn't it?"

The blond girl grinned. "Definitely."

Finally, Jackie came back, looking just a little worse for the wear. "S-sorry about that..."

"It's okay, Jax," Zane soothed. "But now... we've got to talk to our parents. Think we can get a conference call going?" The redhead nodded. And so the connecting calls were made. "Hi, Mom and Dad," Zane greeted. "Hi, Richard. Hey, Jane," he added to Jackie's parents. Richard and Jane O'Connell were good, friendly people, strongly religious and really liked Zane and their daughter being together. Richard was a large burly man, raised in New York City by immigrant parents. He had red hair and green eyes like his daughter's and was a firefighter. Jane was a happy homemaker, also with flaming red hair and blue eyes. She was plump from having given birth to 4 children, very happy to be a mother. The couple now lived in northeastern Nevada.

"Hello, Zane my lad," Richard greeted.

"Hey, kiddo," Will greeted as well. "Nice to see you two again."

"Oh, wonderful to see both of you! How are you, Darla?" Jane smiled at the OB/GYN in Domino City.

"Fine, thanks. It's great to see all of you- even if it's over the phone. Oh, Jackie, honey... you don't look too good. Are you feeling all right?" Darla asked, her mother instincts kicking into hear.

Jackie blinked, then got a nervous feeling that was very similar to her morning sickness. "Uh..."

Zane willed his own strength around his fiancée, wishing he could be in two places at once. "Well... that's why we're calling... We wanted to wait a year to get married, but we need to move things up," he said.

Eyebrows raised. "Well, we're glad, lad, considerin' you've both been living in sin," Richard commented with a light twinkle in his eyes.

"Yeah, but what brought this on?" Jane asked eagerly. "You two are probably eager to get going on your lives..."

Darla, however, sensed that this was something serious and that it was weighing heavily on both her oldest son and his fiancée. "Zane?" she asked, frowning a little.

Jackie sighed, gaze turning downward as she worked up the courage to say the words. "Mam, Dad, I... well, ya see, I'm... pregnant."

Silence reigned for a moment. And then reactions came so differently that it was hard to believe it was on the same line. "Congratulations!" Will grinned.

And... "What?! You're expectin'?! JACKIE REGINA O'CONNELL? DID I RAISE A WHORE?" Richard shouted.

"DIDN'T YOU PAY ATTENTION TO FATHER O'MALLEY?" Jane yelled as well, as both O'Connells' faces contorted with rage.

"Or did you just have your way with her, you gigolo?!" Richard snapped at Zane. Zane was struck speechless for a moment, horrified at what he was hearing.

Jackie, part of her having been expecting this, instantly hung her head in obvious shame and embarrassment. Her orange-red hair fell into her eyes, but anyone paying enough attention could see the sheen of tears on closed lids. "M-mam... D-dad... I..." Unable to say anything in response to her parents' outrage, Jackie buried her face in her hands. To say everyone else on the line was shocked and slightly appalled would be an extreme understatement. At first, no one could find the words to respond or speak up.

And then Zane regained his power of speech. And let us be perfectly clear on this; he not only regained it, he used it. "HOW DARE YOU TALK TO HER THAT WAY?! SHE'S YOUR DAUGHTER AND SHE'S GOING TO BE MY WIFE!"

Richard countered in fury, "SHE'S NO DAUGHTER OF MINE IF SHE CAN..." And he used a very vulgar term for intimacy which got Will fuming.

"You heartless jerk! Jackie, honey, I'm going to come get you at the hotel. You can stay with Darla and me and rest here until you can go to Duel Academy. And Richard and Jane, we will not allow you to upset her in any way. When you can talk to her civilly, you can talk to her again."

"Fine. You can deal with her... We're through!" Jane said, the anger evident in her eyes. And the O'Connells abruptly ended the phone call.

"Oh, no," Annie murmured painfully, aching for the young woman on the screen.

There was now silence, except for Jackie's sobs. "Jax... Jax, say something," Zane pleaded softly.

Jackie kept most of her face buried behind her hands, but her words could be heard clearly. "I... I thought they m-might react a… a bit badly, b-but... not as bad a-as this... Oh, they h-hate me, Zane!"

"They don't hate you," he countered. "They're just shocked and upset, Jax... We'll get through this and they'll come around. You're their daughter... their only girl... How could they hate you?" he soothed her, hoping it was true.

"Z-Zane, they're m-more than shocked a-and upset! Didn't you h-hear them? They're furious... and d-disgusted... they want n-nothin' to do with m-me..."

"Well, we want everything to do with you," Will said. "Sweetie, Darla and I can be over in a few minutes to get you... Come stay with us..."

"I... I don't know..."

Darla, who had finally recovered from her shock, felt her heart ache for the poor girl. "Jackie, honey, please... we want to help you. You shouldn't be alone right now, not in your condition. Please, let us come get you," she coaxed gently.

Jackie, who was beginning to calm down, sniffed a bit. "...O-okay..."

"Jax," Zane said, "I love you so much... We're going to make it... We'll be okay..." And another thing that wasn't often seen on his face was making its appearance... tears.

Syrus hadn't seen his brother cry in a long time, and he hadn't seen him cry often, either. But he completely understood why he was doing so now. Jackie wiped at her eyes, meeting her fiancé's gaze. "I l-love you too, Zane... I can't w-wait to see you..."

"I'll see you really soon, Jax," he answered.

"We'll come get you, Jackie honey," Will said calmly. Jackie could only nod, and after they said goodbyes she hung up.

"Mom," Zane began, struggling to keep his control. It was one of those moments where a boy needs his mother as he did long ago when she first kissed his bruises and cuts.

Darla sighed. "It's okay, honey. I know what you must be feeling right now... that was hard on you, too. But it's just like you said, sweetie. We'll find a way through this... I'm certain that her parents will come around when they realize how harsh they're being..."

"How could they say that to her?" he asked finally, choking it out. "No matter how angry you've been with me or Sy, you'd never say what they said..."

Darla frowned. "Honey, it's because they think that's the right thing to do... It's the way they were brought up and the way they live. Sometimes, people act without really thinking of the consequences..."

"Just... help her, please... I wish I could be in two places at once," he groaned. "But I can't leave now..."

"Zane... kiddo... we'll help her and bring her out to you when you're both ready," Will soothed. "We're going to take care of her, we promise..."

"Thanks, Mom... Thanks Dad..." The parents and eldest child hung up, and Zane buried his face in his hands. He hated himself for not being able to be split in a few different pieces so he could go to Domino and northeastern Nevada, comforting his fiancée while giving her parents more than a piece of his mind. And yet he knew he needed to be here. And it hurt terribly.

Syrus, sensing his brother's pain, placed a hand on his arm. "Zane... bro, I know that you want to be there for her. But even if you can't, she still knows that you love her. And I bet that helps her a lot..."

Zane managed to lift his head. "What did she do to deserve that? She's right... they hate her..."

"Well, I'd like to have their Father O'Malley talk to Father Mulcahey," Annie growled softly. "Did they miss the sermons where people are supposed to be loving and that we've all fallen short of the glory of God?!" Annie's experience in church had been that you dealt with situations with love and kindness, not condemnation. And when it came to what Zane and Jackie had done, Annie reflected that it wasn't that bad. They were committed and faithful to each other and should not be treated the way Jackie's parents had just treated her and Zane. "Jesus wouldn't do what they just did to her!" she asserted.

"No, He wouldn't," Scout agreed, moving to Zane. "Zane, honey, it's going to be all right... We'll get her out here and it'll be okay..."

The elder Truesdale gladly took the hug from his best friend's mother. And then he met Atticus's eyes. "Hey Atticus?"

"Yeah, Zane?" Atticus, like everyone else in the room, was feeling the pain radiating off of the young adult. And it hurt him to see his best friend so upset for any reason, let alone one like this.

"Could... you help me with something? It's for Jackie, and it's gonna take a lot... Sy, you too..." There was a definite pleading in his tone.

"Of course. What do you need help with?" Atticus asked, Syrus nodding in agreement.

"Uh..." Zane turned a bit red. "Uh, Alexis, Scout, Annie... Chazz, please don't take this the wrong way, but.... can we have some privacy?" The three women and young man looked at each other and then at Zane and nodded, getting up and heading out of the room. "Okay... do you guys know if my old room's open?" he asked finally.

The two other boys exchanged curious glances. "Yeah. No one's taken it since you've left, Zane," Atticus finally answered.

Zane sighed with relief. At least something was going right. "Okay... Sy... could you get me a phone book or a laptop with a Wi-Fi connection? I've got to order flowers!"

Syrus nodded. "Sure, bro." It didn't take him long to find one, since they were in Chancellor Shepherd's office.

"Thanks, Sy. And then... do you guys think we can set up a little party if Jackie's up to it?" He amended, "Not right away, of course...."

"I think we could do that," Atticus answered after a moment of thought.

"Okay... Now... We have to get Violet and Bastion better," Zane murmured thoughtfully. "What's going to happen? What did you guys do to stop your darkness?" And then Zane looked at Atticus again, remembering his story of taking down Nightshroud's human embodiment.

The brunette rubbed the back of his neck. "We, uh... faced our darkness..."

"I remember you telling me how you faced yours, Atticus, but... what about the others?" Somehow, he hadn't asked.

"Well... we mostly just talked it out. Group therapy, ya know?"

The pro duelist nodded, remembering one particular time after he'd really started facing his own demons when he'd returned to DA. "Okay... then... I'll do what I can to help like you guys helped me... Especially you, little brother, and my sister-in-law..."

Syrus smiled. "Thanks, bro... Violet and Bastion, they're gonna need all the help they can get right now..."

"Yeah..."

The three young men headed out of the chancellor's office and Annie fell into step next to her husband-to-be. "Is everything okay?" she asked softly.

He nodded. "Yeah, everything's fine."

_Everything isn't fine yet, dear readers. We still have some darkness to dispel! So next time, please join us for "Lonely No More!" And until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you and see you next time!_


	58. Lonely No More

Chapter LVIII: Lonely No More

_Welcome back, everyone to __**Darkness Falls!**__ Again, it's Peach's fault for not getting this up quickly. She has been taking a course in Victorian literature and had to write her first course paper in almost eight years. It's fun to read a lot of new books but to write an academic paper after so long is… unnerving. Anyway, before we begin this latest chapter, we are pleased to announce that 15animefreak15 has won DeviantArt's Valentine's Day Contest with her __**Ed, Edd and Eddy**__ story. It's worth a read, folks! And thank you all, as always, for your patience and your continued reading and reviews. And now, we continue!_

_ Last time on __**Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Darkness Falls…**__ Zane and his fiancée, Jackie announced that they were expecting their first child. Zane's parents were happy, but Jackie's parents reacted badly. Zane and Jackie made arrangements for her to come out to Duel Academy so they could marry away from prying eyes. And then the rest of the gang began preparations for the final battle against Darkness's remnants. So what will happen when Violet confronts her darkest shadows? Read on! And no, __**WE DON'T OWN THE YU-GI-OH franchise or its related characters! Seriously! We only own stuff that we don't profit from!**_

_** Warning: Off-color language.**_

The group headed back to the infirmary and everyone knew it was time to help Violet deal with her darkness. It was about 10 AM now, and they had all eaten breakfast. "We'll need to set up a lounge here in the main building for this," Fonda said thoughtfully as she and Annie went into the nurse's office alcove. "What you kids did before was brilliant. What can we do to help this time?" she asked Annie.

"Well... we need a lounge chair this time that Violet can stretch out on..." Annie started to pace a little, thinking it through. "We'll need a clean linen scented candle and some freshly laundered blankets... She needs to be as relaxed as possible..."

"Okay, we can make that happen," Fonda nodded. "When you're ready, you can get her."

The teen girl nodded too. "Violet?" Annie called to her friend.

"Yeah, Annie?" Violet called back from Bastion's bedside.

"We're going to set up a room... and then it's your turn to work through your darkness..."

"O-okay..." It was obvious that she wasn't very confident about what was going to happen.

Annie shivered, sensing the lack of confidence. And yet she went to work with the others to set up the room down the hall. They set up candles, a lounger and the blankets, and then Annie went to get Violet. She padded into the room where Bastion remained sedated. "Hey, Violet," she said softly, laying a hand on her friend's shoulder.

Violet didn't look up at Annie at first, her grassy green eyes locked onto her slumbering lover's face. She gripped his hand tightly in her own, and her own face was a swirling torrent of emotions. "Hey..."

"The room's set up, Violet... it's time..."

Katai, sitting next to Hiro, looked up at Annie. "You mean..?"

"Yeah," the dark-haired 17-year-old girl explained gently. "Violet... it's going to be okay..."

Violet squeezed Bastion's hand a little. "No, it's not," she muttered. Darkness's shadow was speaking to her the same way it had to Bastion when he'd tried jumping. "You guys are gonna think I'm such a baby... that I'm a wimp..." Images of the group laughing at her and abandoning her filled her head.

"No we won't," Annie murmured softly. She knew Darkness's influence was still strong in her best friend's mind. And so she would counter with the truth. "We all had things in our minds and hearts that people might think us wimpy for... And yet, none of us laughed at each other. We won't laugh at you, Violet... Please... Your life and Bastion's life depends on this... Please, Violet..."

Violet hung her head low, eyes closed. It was obvious that she didn't fully believe Annie. "...Fine..."

Katai stood up from her chair and moved to her daughter-in-law. "Sweetheart... I'm right with you... And I won't laugh, either... It's obvious you're hurting and you need to finally heal..."

"I'll remain here with Bastion, in case he wakes up," Hiro added.

Violet hesitated for a moment, but then kissed the knuckles of the hand she held. "I… I'll be back, Bastion," she stammered, slowly getting to her feet.

Bastion chose this moment to stir. He murmured in his unconsciousness, "Be free, Violet..." Whether or not it was a desire for her to be free of her demons or simply for her to let him go, no one could be sure.

Annie and Katai jerked in alarm. "He's going to try again," Katai moaned. "Violet..."

But Violet sensed something else from the words. "Maybe... or maybe not," she murmured softly.

Annie's face tightened. "What?" What Bastion had done made her fearful and perhaps she misread what he said.

"Maybe... he means it in a different way..." Violet didn't appear to be any more sure of her words than the others.

"Violet... he might... But for his sake, you have to confront this, and for your sake, too," Annie said shakily.

"I know..."

"Then... let's do this..."

The three women headed out of Bastion's room, out of the infirmary and down to the special lounge room. The room was illuminated only by candlelight and every member of the group was in there. The teachers were in another room observing, like they had those nights in Ra Yellow. Jaden smiled softly. "Hey, Violet," he greeted gently.

Violet was a little surprised by the set-up. It was dim, and the room was filled with her favorite scent. Almost the instant she'd entered the room, she'd felt her body relax. "Hey, Jay..."

"C'mon over. We fixed a special place for you to lie down," he explained, taking her arm and guiding her to the lounge chair, covered in blankets. He remembered the night he had dealt with his own darkness. And he knew Violet needed reassurance as all of them did. "Just relax... Let whatever's going on in you come up..."

"Thanks..." Violet sat down on the chair, slipped off her shoes, and then laid down. It reminded her of old cartoons where someone would do exactly what she was and talk to a therapist. Then that reminded her of when she had gotten actual counseling, twice, though not in the same way as this. It made her nervous all over again, and she frowned.

Everyone got comfortable in their seats, Zane looking around curiously, but eager to help in any way he could. "All right, Violet," Annie began, "just relax and remember that we're all here for you. You're safe here and you're among the people who love you... Whatever has been hurting you must be brought to the surface and reckoned with. To defeat your darkness, you must confront it head on. Whatever you need to get off your chest, we will all listen and help you through it. Go back as far as you need to..."

Violet nodded slightly, closing her eyes as her hands clung to each other tightly. She knew what her darkness was, what the problem was. It had been haunting her for years, even before the Mike incident. That had only made it worse. No, this problem started back much farther than that. And she'd known about it for even longer. "I know what you guys are thinking... that this all probably started with Mike... but it didn't... I didn't even know Cherri, Triana, and Mike when it started... I hardly knew anyone, and I only had one real friend. Her name was Courtney..."

Annie started slightly at this but maintained her composure. 'If there's any time I needed clinical detachment, it's now,' she thought. "Tell us about Courtney..."

Violet smiled a little at the memory of her first friend. "I was so different back then. Shy, quiet, curious and mischievous but scared of a lot of things. Courtney had blond hair and brown eyes, and she was in my kindergarten class. We had a lot in common, and we became friends. We'd play together all the time... and she was so much braver and more outgoing than I was. She helped me get over my fear of bees, and got me to try new things. Bobby was thirteen then, so all I really had was her.

"But then... a little while after we entered the first grade... she left. Her dad was never around, so her mom moved from job to job, house to house. They'd moved a few times while we were friends, but never far away. Until then... she was moving to New York. Her mom had found a good job there, and... and I was happy for them. But... after she left... I was alone again..." Violet's face tightened from the ache, and her eyes opened slightly in a show of sadness. "I never saw or heard from her again after that..."

"How did that make you feel?" Annie asked, knowing the obvious answer, but also knowing Violet had to state the feelings to let them out.

"I was sad... and a little angry, I guess. I was mad that she left and made me all alone again... I didn't know if I'd be able to make another friend," Violet muttered, closing her eyes again. The scent of clean linen washed over her anew.

"And when did you make other friends after that?"

"I was actually surprised... not long after, I met Triana and we became friends. She was different from Courtney, more like me- but still more outgoing and popular. But she brought out the me you guys know... we became even closer than Courtney and I had been... At first, I was worried that she might leave, too. But eventually... I thought that maybe this time, I wouldn't be left alone again."

"You were friends a long time, weren't you?" Zane asked.

Violet nodded. "Years. Around a decade, actually. And for a while, we stayed that way. I met Mike and Cherri soon after that, and we were all so close... Even if I wasn't popular and the other kids made fun of me, I knew I would always have a friendly table to sit at during lunch. And friends to hang out and have fun with after school, on the weekends, and over break. It was perfect... I thought it would last for a long time... maybe even after graduation... Back then, I was planning on staying in normal schooling. Becoming a chef."

"And then Mike changed all that," Tyson growled dangerously. He'd heard it all, and even though Mike was still serving his sentence, that didn't stop the dinosaur-obsessed duelist from wanting to go medieval on the abuser's butt.

Rosa placed a calming hand on her fiancé's arm, knowing that anger wouldn't help right now. Violet tensed a little. "Y-yeah... I guess I didn't know it then, but... I was still hurting from when Courtney left, years ago. Instead of facing it and accepting it, I buried it... which probably made what happened all the more worse. I was so happy when Mike asked me out; I'd had a crush on him for a while.

"I knew that Triana did, too, but she seemed to accept it and was happy for us. I remember our first slow dance... our first kiss... our first Christmas... I can see now, that I was blind. I was so in love with him, so glad to not be alone, that I brushed off his advances. When he'd try getting us to go further. And then I pretended not to notice when he'd start staring at Triana more, hold her hand sometimes... I… I thought he was just being friends with her, like always..." Her face scrunched up as her voice became strained, and her eyes started to grow wet from the memories.

"And then that day happened," Aster said, blue eyes flashing dangerously. He'd heard what had happened once he'd become a full member of the gang and it made him mad as well. "And you were alone again..."

Violet nodded, and the tears started to flow. "I knew, r-right then, that... that they were gone. H-how could I be fr-friends with them anymore? I thought I'd at least h-have Cherri, but... a few days later she called. Said that her f-family was moving to... to Canada. We both cried... b-because really, we were all each other had. And... and suddenly... it had happened again. B-but this time, it was so much worse... I didn't have a-anyone to run to anymore; I was alone at school with no friends. It hurt so much, I..." Violet stopped, sobs shaking her words and crumpling her body. She didn't want to go on, to tell how she had felt during those long months, what she had done, what she had thought. They probably wouldn't believe her. Only Mary knew the whole truth.

They all sensed it. Jaden looked at his friends, his lover and his brothers-in-law, particularly Atticus. "Violet... don't hold it back," he said softly. "If you do, it's only gonna get worse... Whatever it is... we'll get through it..." While he hadn't had Violet's experience, he knew what remaining silent could do. Violet shook her head, still crying into her hands. It was going to take a little more than that to make her go farther, into deeper, darker territory. She almost wished that Mary could tell them for her, but she knew that would do nothing.

Abruptly, Annie moved from her place near Violet's lounge chair and pulled her best friend into a hug. "Violet..."

Violet flinched badly at the sudden contact, but then moved into the hug when she realized what it was. "A-Annie... I can't... I d-don't want to..."

"You have to... Violet... I'm right here with you..."

And then another person joined the hug. "Violet... angel... Please, sweetheart... I'll walk that path with you... no matter where it goes," Katai added.

Violet shuddered, comforted but still frightened about telling this next part. She leaned into Katai, only second to her own mother, as her sobs started to wind down. "D-do I have to?"

Katai squeezed both girls in her strong yet delicate arms. "You have to, sweetie... Your fate and Bastion's rides on this..."

Violet knew the older woman was right. The two parents, everyone, were counting on her to get through this. She had to if she was going to help Bastion get through his own problems. 'If only he were here with me,' she thought sadly. "F-fine... I'll k-keep going," she muttered. And then as the two other women released from the hug, something pressed against Violet's chest and reflected pinkish light in the room. It was the symbol of Bastion's eternal love for Violet and it hung around her neck, where it had been since last summer on that late June morning he had proposed.

Wiping away a few tears, Violet carefully wrapped her fingers around the delicate, rosy crystal. The two sapphire eyes looked up at her, and a warm feeling spread through her chest. It was almost as if he was right there, holding her as she continued. She closed her eyes to imagine him there. "I eventually got so depressed that Mom and Dad had me see a counselor. Around that time, I was going through what I thought was depression. Now I know it also might have been bi-polar syndrome... Before I was diagnosed with depression and got medicine from a doctor, I was a mess...

"There were only a few rare moments in the day when I wasn't crying or raging. I felt such a deep sadness... and at the same time such a fierce rage... That part of me wanted to make Mike pay... to even make Triana and Cherri pay, though they hadn't meant to hurt me... I'd never felt that way before... Knowing that no matter how angry I was, I couldn't hurt them with my fists, I came up with another method. I began to build a second deck... it had aliens, too, but... but they were monsters. And... And I made them worse, I'm sure of it. By filling each card with my anger and hate... It was… is… an evil deck... I still have it, even now... I didn't have the guts to throw it away..."

"Where is it?" Jaden ventured.

"I... I need Tiffles," Violet stammered nervously.

"Want me to go get him?" Jaden offered, knowing he could run fast and get the cuddly plush toy. Violet nodded silently, fidgeting nervously in her seat. She hadn't even looked at that deck since just before she came to Duel Academy. "It'll be okay, Violet... I'll be right back!" Jaden ran from the room alone, and out the academy's main building. As he ran he sensed a familiar presence at his side. "Yubel? Any idea what we're dealing with?" he asked verbally.

Yubel frowned as she flew beside him. "I'm not sure, Jaden. From what she said, I can only guess. It sounds kind of like what happened to me, but different. Instead of being changed by a supernatural force, these spirits were corrupted by the emotions being fed to them as they were collected by Violet. They were put together for one purpose and one purpose only; to cause pain. For revenge," she explained.

"So it's kinda like the Heart of the Cards got... corrupted," he said, trying to understand. "Right?"

She nodded. "I think so. That sounds about right, anyway. The problem is that even though you were able to 'cure' me, I don't know if you'll be able to 'cure' them. This is a different case..."

"Yeah..." Jaden remembered what he'd initially sensed from Aster's deck... anger. He and Yubel reached Obelisk and the Misawa-Haverbrook/Truesdale-Hanson suite and he raced into Violet and Bastion's room. On the bed was Tiffles the Watapon. And then Jaden sensed it. An almost black aura rose from the plushie and buffeted Jaden like a strong wind. "Oh, man," he groaned, stepping forward.

Yubel winced. "I feel it, too. Such a strong feeling of anger and hatred... it's no wonder she kept it hidden. Who knows the consequences if one ever tried dueling with such a deck," she murmured in awe.

Jaden kept moving to Tiffles the Plush. He picked it up and shivered. "It's in here... Why didn't I pick up on it before?"

"Perhaps it was because you didn't know about it. Also, I can sense the spirit of the actual Tiffles here as well. I think it was blocking the aura before, but let you sense it now..."

"Yeah... We'd better get back..." Jaden and Yubel again moved quickly, the young man holding the plush toy like it was a bomb about to go off. He raced back to the main building and handed it to Violet, the fear of the deck in his eyes.

Violet saw it and bit her lower lip, getting the same sensation when her favorite plush was in hand. "I... I told you it was bad..."

Suddenly, each of the other group members' duel spirits appeared with them in protective posture. "Your deck is very, very angry," Usagi, dressed as the Guardian of Pure Dreams stated, her bright blue eyes wide with terror at what she sensed.

Gyroid had appeared next to Syrus, his cartoon eyes in a classic wild take. "That thing's really mad!"

Red-Eyes Black Chick appeared on Atticus's lap, squeaking fearfully and shaking in its shell.

Beside Alexis appeared Cyber Tutu, who also wore an apprehensive look. "It's scarier than Cyber Blader when she's mad!"

Seaside Gull appeared on Rosa's shoulder, his feathers ruffled. "Oh my goodness! And I thought my mistress was scary!" he muttered in Spanish.

The three Ojamas had appeared on Chazz's shoulder. "I'm gonna need new bikini briefs," Ojama Yellow whimpered, huddling with his brothers.

"Eww, that is disgusting," Amethyst Cat groaned.

"Well, I'm going to need a new shell," Emerald Turtle moaned, eliciting another shocked exclamation from the other Crystal Beasts.

Violet toyed with one of the plush's fuzzy antennae. "I told you guys it was bad... it's even freaking out the duel spirits..."

At that moment, the spirit Tiffles appeared. "Normally, no one would sense it. I usually block it out."

"So... how do we take care of this thing?" Blair wondered, Maiden in Love standing next to her. "I mean... it's not like a bomb we can disarm... is it?"

"I... I don't know. I'm not even sure if it's safe to take it out, but... I'll have to if we're going to try anything," Violet muttered, frowning nervously.

"Yeah... We've got to sense this thing full on," Jaden murmured.

"Are... are you guys sure? I don't know what's gonna happen..."

The young adults and students nodded. Blair took a deep breath. "Violet, we saw Atticus through a literal firestorm... We have to see you through this... All of us do."

Violet nodded; they had a good point. Swallowing down her nerves and digging up her courage, she slowly pulled down a zipper hidden beneath the toy's fur. Reaching into the stuffing, a familiar jolt shot through her when her fingers brushed the cards. It was so strong that it made Violet literally jump in her seat, eyes wide and hair standing on end.

The aura that Jaden had sensed earlier now came out full force. Everyone in that room, even those who couldn't see duel spirits shook from the impact of the dark deck. And in the observation room, the teachers who were standing wobbled. "What in the world?" Vellian Crowler gasped at the dark wave buffeting him.

Don Sartyr's eyes narrowed. "This has just gotten very serious..."

Andrew Shepherd shuddered. "Extremely serious, everyone... brace yourselves!"

Violet, wanting to get it over with, grabbed the deck and pulled it out in one quick motion. Instantly, she gasped, and dropped the cards as if they had shocked her. They fell to the floor, spreading out in a messy heap face-up. The images, which had already been illustrated to look monstrous, had somehow become even more menacing so over time.

One of the fallen cards seemed to stare right through Annie. It was of a white monster, known as Alien Mother. It frightened the Moon Kingdom deck holder, and yet entranced her at the same time. She reached for it and too late, Usagi shouted, "ANNIE, DON'T!!"

Annie picked up the card... And then it felt like fire racing through her veins. She screamed as if she was being torn apart from within. The hatred, anger and other dark emotions rent her very spirit with their force.

"ANNIE!" Violet shouted fearfully, eyes wide as she reached out and grabbed her best friend's arm.

Mary appeared in an instant, face a mixture of fear and anger. "Shit! I wasn't fast enough! I forgot to warn you not to touch the cards!!" she cursed, fists clenched. Annie didn't answer. Her eyes had gone horribly blank, like a person either unconscious... or dead. And yet, she remained standing like a marionette whose master held the strings but did not move her.

"A-Annie?" Violet whispered worriedly, moving her grip to the unmoving hand as her heart pounded in her chest.

Mary's eyes slowly narrowed. "Is that..." They snapped open wide in sudden horror. "Violet! Get away from her!"

And then Annie blinked, her eyes losing the blank stare. They turned from the usually friendly shade of blue to a hellish crimson. The usually friendly sweet face turned cold and cruel and she grinned wickedly. "Hello, Violet... remember me?" she asked in a demonic parody of Annie's voice.

_And so Annie has been possessed. It's probably not a good thing… So how will this be dealt with? Find out next time in "Demon's Reckoning!" Thanks to __**Yami no Matsuei/ Descendants of Darkness**__ for the title. So until next time, please read, review and stay tuned! Thanks!_


	59. Demon's Reckoning I

Chapter LIX: Demon's Reckoning I

_**Peach climbs up from a hole, covered in baby food. Ani is looking at her like she's gone crazy.**_ _**Wiping her face off, Peach grins sheepishly.**__ Hi, everyone._

_**Ani waves, sipping her Mountain Dew through a pink straw. **__Yo. Long time no read, peeps._

_**Peach continues on.**__Sorry about the delay, guys. As you can see, I've been dealing with real life in the form of my nieces. My sister-in-law had surgery, so that means I've had to put in long hours. Anyway, I finally got this edited!__ Sorry about that, Ani!_

_Hey, no prob. I've been there. __**Ani points her soda straw at the readers.**__ And you! Don't go giving my Onee-chan a hard time over the delay. Got it? She worked hard on this chapter! Seeing as it's a duel. Because we all know Peach isn't used to dueling._

_**Peach grins sheepishly.**__ Let's face it. If it was up to me to duel to save the world, we'd all be doomed._

_**Ani grins, pacing around. **__Luckily, I myself love dueling via gaming. So I'm pretty sure I caught and fixed any errors while we were writing this baby. Still, compared to Peach's first duel way back in Summer Love, Summer Fears, I'd say this is one Hell of an improvement._

_Thanks, Ani! And I did use the deck you made, __**Peach says, blushing slightly.**_

_Oh! Yup, I should probably mention that. Take note of this, readers. The evil deck Violet has is full of REAL cards. You can find every one of them on Yu-Gi-Oh! Wiki. Real alien cards, under the Reptile type. Violet's normal deck, however, are all made-up cards. Some are based on real cards, some are of my own invention. And the Alien type is completely made-up as well. I think that about covers it. Ani takes a long sip through her straw._

_Anyhow, we really hope you enjoy this chapter! Okay, recap! Let's do the time warp, YEAH! _

_**Doctor Crowler comes on stage dressed as Dr. Frankenfurter.** HEY! That's my song!_

_**Ani spits out the soda she'd just sipped, spraying it all over Dr. Crowler.**__ HOLY COSTUME CHANGE, BATMAN!!!_

_**Peach sweat-drops as Dr. Crowler leaves the stage, somehow maintaining his dignity.**__ Okay, that was weird. Anyway, last time, Violet finally dealt with her inner darkness. She revealed that she had made a just plain terrifying deck._

_**Ani laughs evilly.**__ Dudes and dudettes, I'd been planning this little demon for a long time. This may be the only time you see these monsters... or not... __**Lightning flashes and cliché organ music plays.**_

_**Peach sweat-drops.**__ A terrifying vision of things to come. So Violet revealed her deck and Annie broke the rule of horror movies and picked up the most evil card._

_**Ani flails slightly, sending her soda flying.**__ WHEN WILL YOU PEOPLE LEARN?!?! I swear, horror movie actors and actresses get stupider every year! Don't go into the basement, don't leave the group to make-out, and of course, DON'T TOUCH THE EVIL-RADIATING OBJECTS!! __**Ani breathes heavily as Chazz walks on stage, her soda stuck in his spiked hair and the sugary drink covering him.**_

_**Chazz has an anger mark on his face.**__ WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR, ANI?!_

_**Ani taps her index fingers together and looks down in a cute, innocent way reminiscent of one Atticus Rhodes.**__ ....It wasn't on purpose._

_**Chazz looks ticked.**__ Yeah, that's what these idiots say! He points angrily at his big brother and Jaden. _

_Chazz, it was still an accident, __**Jaden says, trying to soothe his friend.**_

_Yeah, not like she dumped flour on you or something, __**Atticus adds with a grin.**__**As if on cue, a pound of the white stuff drops on the black-haired Slifer. Ani hums innocently, hiding a rope behind her back.**_

_ARRRGH! __**Chazz yells, only to be tackled by Bastion.**_

_No, Chazz... Violet will harm you, remember?__** The Ra Yellow stares the other teen down.**_

_**Several eggs smack into Chazz's head, cracking upon impact. Violet grins deviously at the Slifer from the catwalk above.**__ Ani and I are making Chazz pancakes, Bastion-baby! Anyone got the oil?_

_**Annie sighs.**__ Violet! What the heck are you doing?!_

_**Ani and Violet both answer at once as each of them splashes a bucket of olive oil on Chazz. **__Making Chazz pancakes!! Duh._

_I'M NOT A PANCAKE! __**Chazz howls. **_

_**Peach claps her hands.**__ Guys? Should we get onto this story before Chazz kills someone?_

_**Ani sighs.**__ Fine, fine. See if we ever put effort into making him pancakes again._

_**Jaden whips some of the batter on his finger, tasting it.**__ He needs blueberries... Or raspberries. _

_SLACKER!!! __**Chazz shouts, eyes flashing as he tries to run. Instead, both boys slip and fall.**_

_**Ani takes several pictures.**__ RIVALSHIPPING EVIDENCE!!! These'll sell for a butt-load on eBay._

_**Jaden groans.**__ There's more evidence for Spiritshipping! __**He flushes, realizing what he just said.**__ Dang it!_

_**Jesse pokes his head out from behind the curtain. **__I GOT A GIRLFRIEND, DANG IT!!!_

_**Peach shows the picture she found on DeviantArt of Jesse.**__ A lot of the fans disagree.... The evidence or lack thereof, to the contrary._

_**Annie blushes.**__ Yeah, there's not much canon evidence about Jaden either way... But... is this going too long?_

_**Ani looks back at the loads of script and sweat-drops.**__ Uh... at this rate, the AN is going to be longer than the duel..._

_**Peach grins sheepishly.**__ Anyway... Do we look like we own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise? Well, we don't! I own Annie._

_I own Violet and Rosa._

_And if you need any more information on what we do or don't own, please peruse the previous chapters._

_The two hundred or so of 'em._

_Yup. So... Let's duel!_

_It's time to duel! __**Atem walks on stage and stares pointedly at Ani.**_

_**Yugi grins and stares as well.**__ Yup!_

_**Ani smirks and says, **__Hey, I could have said: Get your game on! __**Before Yusei Fudo can get onstage, the curtain falls.**_

_Authors' note: The previous introduction and the end notes are brought to you by Guatemalan insanity peppers._

Annie, possessed by the evil Alien Mother, smirked coldly as she stared at her host's best friend. "You know you can't resist, Violet. I am as much part of you as that pathetic weakling you call a spirit friend..."

Violet shuddered as she slid her normal deck, filled with the good aliens of the Solar System into her duel disk. Feeling the calming, reassuring nudge in the back of her mind from said "spirit friend" helped to calm her down a little. "Oh, I can resist! That's what I'm doing right now! And you're weaker than Mary, Alien Mother. She let go of the past. You won't."

The other teens in the room stared in horror at the scene before them. Jaden Yuki visibly tensed. "C'mon, Annie! Snap out of it! Fight her!" Deep within her mind, the possessed girl cried out in impotent grief and fury at the violation this creature had done. The boy stepped forward. "Let her go! I'll fight you!"

"Oh, no... Oh, no, no, no... I want Violet... You don't hold any interest for me, Jaden

Yuki. Besides, I could kill that transvestite freak in your deck without breaking a sweat. It wouldn't be any fun," she answered cruelly.

Jaden growled, "What did you just say?!" If Alien Mother hadn't been in Annie's body… Well, the red-clad duelist wasn't sure what he would've done, but he won't let her get away with insulting Yubel like that.

Violet grimaced and winced a bit, sending Jaden an apologetic glance over her shoulder. "Sorry, guys," she whispered.

Yubel, of course, appeared and sent a scathing glare not at Annie, but at the creature possessing her. "At least my insides are good! You're as ugly on the inside as you are on the outside, cold-blooded and all!" she threw back, agitated by the insult.

"Humph... Cold-bloodedness is an advantage that you mammals don't get. We're slow to anger and we have patience.... Something that your kind lacks," Alien Mother answered as coldly as the blood that flowed through her veins. "Now then, Violet... We will duel... But I will not use this weakling girl's pathetic deck. Based on creatures that have no knowledge of the cold," she muttered the last in a disgusted tone.

Violet frowned, eyebrows furrowing. "I figured as much. They're too goody-good for you to stand, anyway. You always did prefer your own kind. Those... monsters..." She shivered, glancing at the cards that seemed to leer up at her from the floor. Alien Mother removed the deck carrier imprinted with a crescent moon from around Annie's waist and threw it contemptuously on the floor. She picked up the Evil Alien deck, a cold, unreadable expression on her face. Tyson Hassleberry moved forward slightly as the girl knelt to pick up the deck. He was fully prepared to knock the girl quickly out.

Rosa, realizing her fiancé's intent, reached out and stopped him with a strong grip on his upper arm. "Tyson, stay here." Knowing he would try to argue, she continued without waiting for a response. "First, you don't know how powerful that thing is, and it could hurt you, too. Second, even if you succeed, it may not free Annie. It may make matters worse. Third, I think... Violet needs to face this. Don't you?" she whispered quietly.

Tyson thought about it in a split second. "Yeah, you're right, darlin'... But Private Annie..."

"The best thing to do here is support Violet. She'll win and hopefully get rid of this thing... She has to," Rosa replied, frowning a little.

They all knew the price of failure. Alien Mother finished picking up the deck and stood. She stared straight at Syrus Truesdale. "She's gone when I'm done with this body... Well, she'll be here... But she'll be so mentally damaged; you might as well have a doll, weak boy..."

Syrus clenched his fists and glared at Alien Mother, though on the inside his very soul seemed to shiver at the thought. "You're wrong."

"He's right. After I beat you, you'll be gone, and Annie will be back. I won't let you hurt my best friend... I'll take responsibility for making you this way by defeating you once and for all," Violet added, tone more serious than any of them had heard in a long time.

"We'll see about that, Violet... When this is over, you'll be possessed by a being that can help you realize your full pot..." Her voice froze and the crimson eyes turned blue again.

"Violet!" Annie cried out, having somehow wrested control of her body back.

Violet's eyes widened in shock. "Annie!!" Syrus had called the same name at almost the same time, taking an instinctive step forward.

"Violet! Stop her! Do what you have to! Even if you have to kill me!" the dark-haired girl cried. "Sy! End it for me or she won't be stopped!"

"No," Violet shook her head, eyes filled with a determined fire that hadn't been lit in what felt like years. "I won't lose another friend. Not this time. Annie, I'm going to save you by winning this duel! I won't lose!"

"Violet, just..." And Annie let out a blood-curdling shriek as Alien Mother took over again. "NOOOOOO!!!" And the blue eyes turned the horrid shade of crimson again.

"That was tiresome... well, she won't be bothering me again," Alien Mother shrugged sounding dreadfully bored. "I've locked her away..."

Syrus looked about ready to tackle his possessed fiancée himself, only his friends holding him back from doing so. "She'll be set free soon enough. Are you going to duel me or not, Alien Mother?! Your Deep Space monsters are no match for my Solar System aliens!" Violet exclaimed, gritting her teeth and raising her duel disk.

Alien Mother nodded, slamming the dark deck into Annie's duel disk and activating the disk. "We'll see who's weaker..."

"DUEL!" both girls shouted.

"I'll go first. My clan is just itching to tear your monsters to pieces, Violet," Alien Mother hissed with a twisted grin as she drew. Her bright, crimson eyes scanned the cards in her hand for a moment before she spoke. "First, I'll summon Alien Kid (1600/700) to the field in Attack Mode! Then, I'll set two cards facedown and end my turn. Oh, and a warning, Kid doesn't play well with others," she explained, smirking. A short, grey and green alien with sky blue eyes and sharp teeth appeared on the field, screeching as it hopped about and waved its yellow laser gun threateningly.

Violet took a deep breath and gazed at the currently crimson-eyed hellish version of her best friend. 'You're still in there, Annie! I'm not going to let you down!' She glanced at her hand. 'Hmmm... Outer Space would ordinarily be a good move, but I don't want to boost her monsters...' She then saw the temporary solution. "I set a monster facedown and set another card. Your move!"

Alien Mother didn't seem to care much about her opponent's move as she drew. "What a pathetic move. Alien Kid, attack her facedown monster and bring the coward out of hiding!" she commanded. The young alien gladly obliged, running forward across the field and blasting the facedown repeatedly with his laser gun.

"I activate my facedown trap, Crater Wall!" Violet shouted. "This negates Alien Kid's attack and my life points go up by the amount of attack points Alien Kid has!" Violet's life points went up by 1600 points to 5600.

A giant stone wall suddenly rose up in front of the facedown monster, and Alien Kid crashed face first into it. Alien Mother growled, fist clenched. "Fine. Keep your cowardly monster in hiding! I set a monster, set a card, and end my turn. Your move," she hissed venomously.

"Okay! I draw!" Violet drew a card from her deck. 'Good... I have a couple of the pieces of the puzzle here... but not enough yet...' Out loud, she said, "First, I flip my defense monster into face-up position... Reveal Rallis the Stargazing Bird (1100/1000)!"

A brightly colored bird appeared on the field, preening himself. "Hello, wonderful people! I have graced you with my presence," he said in a voice reminiscent of Gaston from **Beauty and the Beast**.

"Uh, Rallis, not the best time! I activate his special ability! Send those cards back to her hand, Rallis!"

"Gotcha!" Rallis sent the one in the middle and the one on the right back to Annie/Alien Mother's hand.

"Hmph. What a pitiful effect. I'll just reset these on my next turn. Not only is that bird weak, but he's ugly, too," Alien Mother stated, moving the two cards from her duel disk back to her hand.

"You're jealous," Rallis countered, flying back to his position and preening again.

"I'm not done," Violet continued. "Now I summon Plutonian Dragon (1600/1000) to the field!" A towering navy blue dragon with vivid green eyes and white wings appeared on the field. "And then I equip him with Raregold Armor, which means you can only attack her! And then I activate the spell card, Hinotama! I may not like fire much, but this card does have its uses... It gives 500 points of direct damage to you!" Instantly, fire balls rained down on Annie/Alien Mother's side of the field and her life points dropped to 3500. "And that does it. Your move!"

Alien Mother crumpled for only a few seconds under the flames before straightening and letting loose an evil laugh as she drew. "Is that the best you've got, Violet?! Oh, once I possess your mind, you'll know what true power feels like," she stated. "For starters, I'll flip my facedown monster, Alien Grey (300/800) into Attack Position, activating HIS effect! Allow me to introduce the A-Counter." The facedown monster flipped up to reveal a small white and grey alien with large, red eyes and pointed ears. It ran forward and slashed at Plutonian Dragon with its long, tentacle-like fingers before jumping back to position. Instantly, a grotesque, purplish lump formed over the wound. "Behold, the A-Counter; the backbone of this deck. It may not seem like much right now, but you'll soon know of its power."

"Wait... what did I do?" Violet muttered to herself.

"You mean you don't remember what that A-Counter thing does, Violet?" Atticus called from the sidelines.

"Not a clue... I don't remember... I was so angry when I made that deck," she groaned in frustration.

"It's all right, Violet. You're about to remember. The hard way. First, I'll summon Alien Warrior (1800/1000) to the field. Then, I'll have Alien Kid (1600/700) attack Plutonian Dragon (1600/1000)!" Alien Mother exclaimed as said monster charged forward.

"Oh no!" Jaden shouted.

"Oh no!" Tyson exclaimed.

"Oh no!" most of the girls shouted.

"They'll destroy each other!" Alexis shouted in confusion. "...What, you didn't think I was going to say-"

"OH YEAH!!" Atticus yelled, grinning. "Had to, sis. It's practically a rule."

"Is this the time or place for that?" Chazz shouted, exasperated.

"No. But it needed to be said, little bro," Atticus answered cheerfully. Everyone present either rolled their eyes or shook their heads, but exasperation instantly turned to shock at what happened next. The A-Counter on Plutonian Dragon seemed to suck up something with its tiny trunk, and instantly her attack and defense each dropped by 300 points. As such, Alien Kid blasted the poor dragon to smithereens with his blaster, then did a little victory dance in the center of the field.

"That was uncalled for," Professor Viper muttered from the observation lounge.

Violet frowned slightly. 'What now?' she thought, looking at her hand again. 'I'm almost there... If anybody's out there... help me...'

Alien Mother smirked. "I'm not finished yet, Violet! Alien Warrior (1800/1000), attack and destroy that annoying pin cushion!" she ordered. The gigantic white and grey alien with massive claws, which looked like Alien Grey on steroids, let loose a fearsome roar and charged Rallis the Stargazing Bird (1100/1000). With one slash of his claws, he shredded into nothing but a pile of rainbow feathers and Violet's Life Points dropped to 4600. Violet seemed amazingly calm this duel. Perhaps it was because there was so much at stake. Perhaps it was because the darkness within her was now in balance. Whatever the cause, she was focusing. And now she knew what she had to do.

Alien Mother frowned when she didn't receive much of a reaction from her opponent, brows furrowing. "Finally, I'll have Alien Grey (300/800) attack you directly. Then I'll set two cards facedown and end my turn."

Violet gave an involuntary cry as her life points dropped down to 4300. But then she straightened. "First, I play the spell card Mystical Space Typhoon and I use it to destroy the facedown card on the left!"

"Fine." The set card imploded as it was destroyed by the bolt of lightning, sent to the Graveyard.

"And now I summon Watapon Totem (500/700) to the field!" In a column of fairy dust-like sparkles, three pink Watapons stacked one on top of the other appeared. "And thanks to Watapon Totem's special ability, I get to summon another creature with Watapon in its name so I choose the regular Watapon (300/500)! Hi, Tiffles!" she called cheerfully to her Duel Spirit. "And then I use Call of the Watapon! By paying 1000 life points," she said as her life point counter dropped to 3300, "I can summon one more Watapon creature from my deck, hand or graveyard, and I choose Winged Watapon (400/600)! Say hello to my favorite aliens!"

"Man, that's a lot of pink," Chazz muttered, staring at the pink and winged last addition to the team on the field.

Alexis groaned. "It looks like the time Jaden and Syrus did the Obelisks' laundry," she muttered.

"For the last time, I didn't know that the red jacket got in there!" Jaden complained. "Besides... It's not like the majority of the campus was in white uniforms and somebody thought we'd gone nuts..."

"But Jay, the Obelisks DID chase us around the island for over an hour," Syrus reminded, sweat-dropping.

Jaden sweat-dropped, remembering that incident. Violet, meanwhile, added another two cards to the arsenal on the field. "I place two more cards facedown on the field and that'll do it for me!"

"When you Special Summoned Watapon and Winged Watapon, you activated Alien Kid's special effect! They each get an A-Counter!" Alien Mother exclaimed, grinning sadistically. Alien Kid fired his gun at each Watapon, and one of the purplish lumps formed where each was hit. That done, she drew and looked over her hand. "Hmm... those facedown cards could be dangerous. I activate Brain Control, sacrificing 800 of my Life Points to gain control of Watapon Totem!" Two giant, ghostly green hands reached out and grabbed the triple-layered Watapon, dragging it forcefully to Alien Mother's side of the field.

"Dang it," Violet muttered, hoping she could get out of this. 'If I don't... Annie might...'

"Violet, don't you dare give up!" Katai called out. "Bastion, Hiro and I are all here with you!" Violet looked back and nodded.

Alien Mother chuckled. "Now then, Watapon Totem, be a good little fuzz ball and attack your brother, Watapon. Oh, and don't forget that the A-Counter drops his attack to zero, Violet!" she explained maliciously. Watapon Totem, forced by the spell card, leapt forward in an effort to crush its older brother and Violet's duel spirit.

"Sorry, Tiffles!" the purple-haired girl apologized. "And you triggered my trap, Watapon Defense! Any creature not named Watapon is destroyed!" A ring of shocking pink energy came from Winged Watapon, leaving it and Watapon Totem unharmed while Alien Kid was blasted off the field.

"YEAH VIOLET!!!" the group cheered. Alien Grey and Alien Warrior tried in vain to shield themselves from the barrage, but blew apart in what looked like shards of glass.

"I have to put two cards from my deck out of play to use it, but it's worth the price," she added as she removed a monster and spell card from her deck.

Alien Mother waved the smoke away with an arm, field clear aside from Watapon Totem and her facedowns. "Hmph. No matter. I activate Call of the Haunted to revive Alien Warrior and then end my turn," she stated. Brain Control shattered and Watapon Totem returned to Violet's side of the field.

'If I do this right... there won't be another turn,' Violet thought. "My move... first I use the spell card, Pot of Greed!" She activated the spell card and drew two new cards. "And then I activate the spell card, Monster Reborn, and revive Watapon!" Tiffles reappeared on the field, looking happy. "But I'm not done yet! With all my Watapons on the field and the cards I need in my hand, I now use Polymerization to fuse my three creatures together to summon the Monarch of my deck, KING WATAPON!" she shouted as the room began to shake.

"Oh, no, not _**that**_ thing," Alien Mother hissed as she stumbled, but managed to hold her balance.

"Hey bro, here comes the pink, fluffy version of the monarch of _**your**_ deck," Atty stated jokingly.

Chazz gave his brother a death glare. "What?!"

Atticus sweat-dropped. "Well, it is! King Watapon, Ojama King. Both take three monsters that are brothers to summon..."

"But THEY don't keep me awake at night!" the raven-haired Rhodes boy pointed out, pointing at the giant pink puffball with a crown on its head.

"And then I activate the spell card, Small Canyon!" Violet added. "Thanks to its effect, you and I can only attack each other with one monster this turn!"

"Hmph. I'm surprised that giant, sorry excuse for an alien can fit in the canyon at all," Alien Mother stated, glaring up at it as Alien Warrior snarled threateningly.

King Watapon stared down at Alien Warrior with evident distaste. "Is that all?" he asked as he began to bounce forward.

"Not by a long shot. Heh, you fell right into my trap, Violet! Say goodbye to your fluffy friend; I activate Mirror Force!!" Alien Mother shouted as the doom-bringing shield sprung up in front of her only monster.

"Actually, I don't... I activate Trap Jammer!!!" The mirror broke.

Alien Mother gasped, but quickly recovered. "I still have one card left up my sleeve! I activate the Quick-Play Spell, 'A' Cell Scatter Burst! By destroying Alien Warrior, I can stick four A-Counters to your King Watapon. And without a target, his attack is negated!" she declared. The giant, clawed alien imploded and four purple lumps formed on King Watapon's pink fur.

'I'm not done yet,' Violet thought, looking through her hand. 'I may not be able to stop her, but I can protect King Watapon!' "Now I summon Black Hole (1600/600)!" she shouted and what looked like a dark hole surrounded by cosmic dust appeared on the field. "Now you can't use trap cards as long as this stays face-up on the field. But I'm not done yet! I place two cards face-down and end my turn!"

"I'm not finished yet," Alien Mother growled as she drew and made her move. "First, I'll summon Alien Hypno (1600/700) to the field and activate his effect! You're gonna love this..." She smirked as a large-headed, white alien with orange eyes and giant hands appeared, its shrunken lower body encased in a glass tube filled with green liquid. At Alien Mother's command, it began to make strange hand and finger motions at King Watapon. "This alien fits its name quite well, don't you think? During my Main Phase, I can select one monster my opponent controls with an A-Counter and take control of it. So my target should be obvious."

Violet's face tightened. 'What kind of deck did I create?' she thought in agony. 'I'm a monster...'

"No... No, you're not!" And then Violet became aware that Alien Mother was speaking. No... Not Alien Mother.... Annie had once again somehow broken through. And somehow, she'd heard that thought. "You... you were in pain when you made that deck... You are no monster..." Annie was staring right at her... "And... I know you can save me, Violet!" Her face, already pale, turned ghost white. She could feel Alien Mother's control returning and tried to move her hand to surrender the duel.

"You won't get away with that, little one," Alien Mother growled in the girl's mind. She took back over so quickly, Annie just let out a single pitiful cry before her eyes turned crimson again.

"Annie!" Violet shouted.

"Your friend's not here anymore, Violet. That's the last time you'll be hearing from her. Now then, where were we? Oh yes, Alien Hypno was just convincing King Watapon to come over to my side," Alien Mother hissed with a malicious smile as the biggest Watapon hopped to her side of the field.

"Actually, you won't be doing that," Violet said, her green eyes flashing. "I activate the trap card, 'Divine Wrath!' Alien Hypno's effect is destroyed and so is Alien Hypno!" A fiery portal opened up above the field and a lightning bolt shot down, hitting and destroying the silvery monster. "Sure I have to discard a card from my hand, but you can't control King Watapon!"

But Alien Mother just laughed as she slapped a spell card down onto her duel disk. "Actually, I can. Thanks to a lovely spell called Viper's Rebirth. And no, I don't mean that pointy-headed instructor over there," she hissed. A small pyramid sprung up out of the ground and two large, golden viper statues rose up on either side of it.

Violet sighed. 'It's a risk, but I've got to do something!' "I discard another card from my hand, leaving me with 2 in my hand! And I activate my other trap, Magic Jammer, which negates and destroys Viper's Rebirth!"

Alien Mother's crimson eyes flashed as the pyramid and statues crumbled. "Fine. I still have one more trick up my sleeve, Violet," she growled, holding up the final card in her hand. "I'll set this facedown and end my turn." She chuckled softly, staring the purple-haired girl down. "So, do you have the guts to attack me now?"

"All in good time," Violet answered. "First, I draw." 'Okay, why did I add this to my deck? Oh well, guess I did for a good reason. Wicked,' she thought, glancing at the card she drew. "First, I play the spell card, Counter Cleaner! By paying 500 life points, I remove all of those A-Counters from the field, and you won't be able to take King Watapon from me that way!"

Alien Mother's surprise shone on her face, but it didn't seem to upset her too much as the purple lumps shriveled up and fell off of King Watapon. "They weren't much help to me at the moment, anyway."

Violet took a deep breath again. 'What if that's a spell?'

"It isn't, love," a familiar voice rang in her head. It was as if Bastion was in the room with her and standing at her side. "Just attack... I believe in you..."

'Okay, Bastion,' Violet thought, smiling. "Alien Mother... you're done! King Watapon, give her a royal smack down! ATTACK!" Violet shouted triumphantly. King Watapon bounced and leapt upward, coming down on Annie/Alien Mother. Alien Mother screeched in rage as she was crushed by the giant fuzz ball. It slammed the evil spirit right out of Annie's body, but didn't harm the girl herself.

And as the holograms faded, Violet smiled shakily but confidently. "I did it... I beat her," she murmured tiredly. The duel had been long, hard, and difficult, and she dropped into a nearby chair with a heavy sigh of relief.

"YEAH, VIOLET!!!" Jaden whooped.

The evil spirit was gone, and Annie blinked, her eyes back to the shade of blue that they normally were. "Violet... thank you," she said before she fell forward, passing out.

_**Yusei Fudo struggles out from under the huge red curtain.**__ DANG IT!_

_**Jack Atlas laughs as he walks over, arms crossed over his chest.**__ You didn't get to say your catchphrase, Yusei. What was it again? Wrong it up? You certainly do that a lot._

_**Yusei gets an anger mark on his head. **__It's REV it up, Jack. It's a heck of a lot better than "Let's kick this duel into overdrive!"_

_**A vein pops out on Jack's forehead.**__ You-you're just jealous because I'M rich, I'M famous, and I don't have a giant lightning bolt on my cheek like some Harry Potter reject!_

_**Yusei smirks.**__ Uh, Jack, in case you haven't gotten with the program yet, I'm the rich and famous one now._

_**Jack grumbles.**__ Cheater. _

_**Yusei shakes his head.**__ Nope. I didn't summon a bunch of monsters in a single turn and I didn't screw the rules._

_**Jack's eyebrow twitches.**__ At least there's someone else who knows how I feel._

_**Seto sighs, walking on stage.**__ Actually, I know how to keep a job other than dueling. __**Jack face-palms while **__**Yusei cracks up.**_

_JAAAAACK~! __**Carly races on stage and glomps said blond. **_

_**Jack grimaces and looks at Seto.**__ Do you have this problem, too?_

_**Kisara saunters beautifully on stage. Seto smiles as his wife puts her arm around him.**__ Not the glomping. It's not her style._

_Okay then. Does _**anyone**_ have the fan girl problem? Anyone? __**Jack calls as Carly clings to him like a baby koala.**__** All the other Yu-Gi-Oh guys look at each other uncomfortably, unsure of what to say.**_

_**Carly blushes, realizing the attention is now on her.**__ Uh... Uh..._

_Yugi, you had fan girls, __**Ani points out, fresh soda in hand. Chazz has also taken the liberty of taping said can to her fingers.**_

_**Yugi sighs.**__ Rebecca and Vivian however were not steady girlfriends._

_Mai, you had fan boys, __**Ani continues in a bored manner.**_

_**Mai sighs.**__ Yeah, that idiot Magnum. The last time he tried something was right before Joey and I got married. It wasn't pretty what happened._

_Good. Then at least I'm not alone. And I KNOW I'm not alone when it comes to the other type of fan girl, __**Jack grimaces and gets a slightly grossed-out expression on his face.**_

_Uh, guys? __**Crow interjects.**__ Guys, I think we're supposed to do something._

_...And you are? __**Ani asks, not a watcher of 5Ds.**_

_**Crow sighs.**__ I'm Yusei's other buddy from Satellite and I rob from Security so the poor can duel!_

_...So you're a modern Robin Hood, but instead of feeding the poor, you give them money to duel. __**Ani turns away.**__ Yup. That's anime making sense again._

_I give 'em cards! __**Crow groans.**__ And we do get fed!_

_Talk to the pink bazooka!! __**Ani whips around and fires several potatoes at Crow, then turns to the readers**__. Now that THAT'S settled, PEACH!! I think we have a job to do._

_Yup. Guys, vamoose! __**Each series cast gets off the stage, leaving Peach and Ani.**__ Well, next time, we'll have a little surprise for you!_

_Hee. You know we love our surprises._

_So next time, please join us for Demon's Reckoning II._

_And don't spit out your soda when you see the surprise!_

_We will not be held responsible if you do. You have been warned._

_THE AUTHORESSES HAVE SPOKEN. __**Ani throws a ball at the ground and smoke fills up the stage.**_


	60. Demon's Reckoning II

Chapter LX: Demon's Reckoning II

_Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to __**Darkness Falls!**__ Well, it looks like Peach hasn't yet improved enough in a duel… even a dream duel! What's that, you say? A dream? A __**blanking**__ dream?! Well, yes, it was a dream and it was planned that way. We wrote the duel because we thought many of you would like a duel. However, we'd already written the actual confrontation at the end of January. The duel was written one month ago. Now, somebody asked about a rewrite. We can't do it now, but we may at some point. We know there are errors, and we may yet get to them. Right now, however, it's not going to happen. Anyway, onto the recap!_

_Last time, in Annie's and Violet's nightmares, Alien Mother challenged Violet to a duel. Violet accepted, and in a highly unrealistic fashion, she won. So what will actually happen? Stay tuned and please don't kill us!_

_**Disclaimer or boring legal stuff that we have to write because we don't want to get sued and we don't want anyone else to get sued: **__We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. We just own our OCs, ideas and anything else we couldn't possibly profit from. _

_**Warning: Coarse language.**_

In reality, Violet's blood ran cold and her heart skipped a beat at that voice. 'Was this how Annie felt when I... hurt her?' she wondered briefly. "Alien Mother... The first card I found," she whispered fearfully.

Mary's eyes narrowed. "You bitch! Get the fXXX out of Annie's body!" she snapped, throwing clean language to the wind.

"I like it here, Mary... You pathetic wanna-be... You wanted to kill... but you don't have a tenth of my abilities," Alien Mother spoke through Annie in that cold way. "I could kill everyone in this room if I wasn't limited by this girl's weak form." She paced much like a cat who has cornered its prey, but wishes to torment it until the time is right to make the kill.

Mary growled, nails digging into her palms from how tightly she was clenching her fists. When she had been evil, she may have liked Alien Mother and helped her. But now she recognized the same bloodlust and raw anger she had once felt, repulsed by it. "Get. Out. Of. Her. Body. Besides, she's not the one you're after, right?!"

Alien Mother/Annie smirked, seemingly walking away. Katai tensed near Violet, sensing the danger. "You know... You're right," the possessor said, turning slowly, and suddenly lunging at the purple-haired girl. She would take her prey by force, one way or another.

Violet, realizing the danger too late, screamed and crossed her arms in front of her defensively. "Dammit!" Mary cursed, flying into Violet and disappearing. Seconds later, Annie tackled the purple-haired girl, both young adults rolling off the couch and onto the floor. Then they were still; they appeared unconscious.

MY MIND TO YOUR MIND MY THOUGHTS TO YOUR THOUGHTS

As the group moved to revive the girls on the outside world, on the inner landscape of minds, a battle was about to take place. Alien Mother's true form, a large monster with four purple-skinned and white-furred arms and pink claws, stood menacingly over Violet and Mary. Annie's mental self lay trembling a slight distance away from them. "She's a weak vessel... Let me just take you over, little girl.... I was meant to, after all," the female alien purred.

"Annie... no," Violet whispered, shaking in fear and looking from her best friend to the monster she'd made.

Mary stood protectively in front of her, staring down the alien. "Back off! You weren't meant to do shit aside from be used in a card game! She's not the way she was when she got you anymore; she's over it now!!" she snapped fiercely.

"Ha... You humans are all alike... Weak, flawed... I can give you power to achieve perfection, and yet you fear it... Why not embrace me? You'll never be hurt again... You'll inflict the pain..."

Both girls had heard this before. Mary had practically told Violet the same thing when she'd been trying to possess her. Had the situation not been so serious and dangerous, one of them may have commented on the major case of déjà vu. Mary looked back at Violet, seeing her fear and realizing she might have to conquer this herself. "Violet, something tells me you have to do this, but... I'm saying fXXX it to that something and I'm gonna give it a try!" With that said, her trademark knife materialized in her hand and she ran at Alien Mother, jumping up to slash at the beast's torso.

Alien Mother, however, was ready for such an assault and raised an energy shield. Mary bounced off of it. "HA! You think that'll work on me! The queen of aliens?! You weakling!"

"She's... not!" The two purple haired girls and the alien turned to see Annie, struggling to get up. Her mental self had been weakened by Alien Mother's attack. "She's stronger than you!"

"Annie! Are you okay?!" Violet called, running over to her friend and gripping her shoulders. Mary followed, once more standing in front of the two in a protective stance with her knife.

Alien Mother grinned her scary monstrous grin. "And what makes you say that? I took you over so easily..."

"That doesn't matter," the dark-haired girl stated, struggling to her feet and leaning on Violet for support. "Mary became more than you'll ever be. She saw what she was doing and stopped because she realized the truth... And she went beyond what she was. You're incapable of that... You're a cowardly, weak...!"

THUMP! Alien Mother flung out an arm, just grazing Violet, but throwing Annie hard. This time, the girl was down and unable to move. "NOW WHO'S WEAK?!"

"ANNIE!" Violet screamed.

"Oh, that is IT! I'm gonna turn you into alien sushi, bitch!" Mary shouted, grabbing the arm as it was coming back from its swing. Hanging on like a monkey, she stabbed her knife into it. "Take THAT!!"

Alien Mother cried out in pain as the knife rammed home. "WHY YOU!!" she shouted. And then a sword materialized near Violet. The blade was made of shining steel, while the hilt was made of bright gold, accented with brilliant jewels. It looked like something a Knight of the Round Table might have carried.

Blinking in surprise, at first Violet could only stare at the weapon. However, Mary's scream as Alien Mother's claws dug into her back threw her from her trance. She snatched up the sword, shocked by how light it felt. "I can do this," she whispered to herself. Pulling in a tight breath, Violet turned to face the monster that was a culmination of her fears. "HEY UGLY!! OVER HERE!!" Alien Mother, now a creature of pure rage, pulled her claws from Mary and tore toward the source of the noise. She howled like a deranged werewolf, a bone-chilling sound.

Mary hit the ground hard, blood spilling from her back. "Violet!!" she called worriedly, unable to move. It was one to one now, just Violet and Alien Mother. This was the defining moment. Violet gripped the sword handle tightly, brows angled downward as she stood her ground. "I'm sick of living in fear... I'm tired about worrying that I'll be left all alone... Never again!" she muttered. Finally, Alien Mother was close enough to strike, and she rained down all four of her claws at her prey. Ducking under them with only a hair's breadth to spare, Violet shoved her mental sword straight through the demon's torso. "This is for Annie!"

The strike hit home and right through Alien Mother's heart as well as a key section in her spinal column. The huge alien fell backward like a felled tree, spilling thistle-toned blood like a torrent. Within seconds it was over. Alien Mother was dead.

Violet, panting a little at the force of her attack, dropped the sword and quickly went to Mary's side. "Mary! Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

The twin hissed in pain, getting to her feet and leaning on Violet for support. "I'll be... fine. Let's go get Annie," she muttered tightly. The two purplenettes quickly went to the girl's side. Annie's mental self lay limp like a rag doll. However, upon closer inspection, she had a pulse.

"Oh, thank God," Violet breathed.

"Now we just wait for you two to gain consciousness. Which should be soon," Mary said through a sigh. The landscape was already beginning to fade and turn black.

THE NEEDS OF THE ONE OUTWEIGH THE NEEDS OF THE MANY

In the real world, Katai cradled Violet's still form. "Come on, sweetheart, wake up... It's going to be okay."

Violet groaned as she came to, eyelids fluttering. Her fingers twitched slightly, and at last she opened her eyes halfway. "Mmm... Katai?"

"Oh, thank heaven... You're awake. I was so worried," she murmured, pulling her daughter-in-law close. Meanwhile, Annie lay in Sy's arms, very still. She was breathing, but hadn't regained consciousness.

"Annie... come on, wake up," Syrus murmured, squeezing her hand.

Miss Fontaine and Scout had both raced in when the girls had gone down and the pediatric surgeon looked over at Violet. "Sweetie, what happened in there?" she asked urgently. "Annie should be waking up..."

Violet shivered. "This may sound crazy..." She quickly told them what had happened on the mental landscape, including the fact that Annie and Mary had both gotten "hurt."

Scout and Fonda looked at each other and realized what had happened. "Sy... she's going to be okay. Her mind just shut down in self-defense," the nurse explained. "She couldn't take much more..."

Syrus sighed in relief. Violet frowned. "I hope Mary's all right..." After all, she lived in spirit form, so the damage could be different for her.

"I told you, I'm gonna be fine," said spirit muttered as she appeared. However, three long, deep gashes stuck out on Mary's back where Alien Mother's claws had dug into her.

"Holy crap!" Jaden yelled at the sight. "Mary, what the heck?!"

Mary scoffed, waving a hand in dismissal. "It's nothing, geez. Just a scratch."

"Uh... those are big..." But as the young people watched, the cuts were healing before their eyes.

"You guys actually fought head to head," Chazz said admiringly.

And back in Bastion's room, the young man began to stir. "Mmmm... Violet," he murmured. His right hand twitched as it was clasped in his father's hands.

_Sorry, folks! It's a cliffhanger! Will Bastion come around? Will he finally deal with his darkness? Will you, dear readers, come at us with torches and pitchforks?! Well, we don't know what you'll do, but we hope you'll all come back next time for "Bastion's Awakening!" See you next time, and as always, please read and review!_


	61. Bastion's Awakening

Chapter LXI: Bastion's Awakening

_Hello again, __**Darkness Falls**__ fans! We're very glad you came back and haven't gone medieval on our behinds. Anyhow, we're glad if you enjoyed the actual resolution to Annie and Violet's situation. And for those of you who are wondering, the duel is being redone. Thanks to Higuchimon for taking the time to make the simulations for us. We thank you all, as always, for your reviews and for continuing to read! And now, onto a moment many of you have been waiting for! We are pleased to bring you Bastion's fight with his inner shadows. Will he defeat them finally? Read on!_

_**Disclaimer:**__**Peach and Ani check their legal papers. **__Okay, again… We don't own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. We wish we did. We just own our OCs, our interpretations of things, and this version of the Yugi-verse. Thanks!_

Hiro blinked at the sudden actions, but he smiled a little and squeezed the hand. "It's all right, son. She'll be back soon and I'm certain that she'll be better. And hopefully, you will be too," he murmured.

Bastion chose this moment to open his eyes. "Dad?" he asked weakly. The room was a little blurry, but came into focus rather quickly.

Hiro's smile grew. "Son, you're awake..."

"Dad? Violet... she's in trouble..." Somehow, in his unconsciousness, he'd sensed her battle with whatever it was. In fact, he had had what he thought was a very odd dream. "Where is she?"

"Calm down, Bastion. She's fine... Violet went with the group to face her problems. They should be back soon, in fact," the older man explained calmly.

"That's it... She's in trouble doing that... Get me to her..." Bastion forced himself to sit up, as weak as he was. "She's fighting something... I have to be with her..." There was a fire in his gray eyes that hadn't been there in weeks.

Hiro knew that fire was a good sign, but what Bastion wanted to do was out of the question. Pressing a strong hand against his sick child's chest, he gently made his son lay back down. "Bastion, my boy, I know how you feel. But you are far too weak to do anything right now aside from staying in bed. Now, I'm certain that everything is fine now, even if something has happened. If not, I'd know about it."

"Dad..." The young man wasn't about to take no for an answer. "Help me... or I'll drag myself..." He kept struggling. The impulse to get to Violet was unshakeable.

Hiro sighed, realizing that Bastion wouldn't calm down until he saw his love. "All right... let me go get a wheelchair, son..." Standing, he went and found one, then returned and helped the sick boy into it.

"Thanks, Dad," Bastion said as his father began to push him. "I just... felt something wrong... I could feel you holding my hand and... I felt something like a shockwave... I thought we were having an earthquake..."

"Well, Bastion, I did feel a little something... but I dismissed it. Perhaps I should have called your mother to check up on things," Hiro murmured, frowning worriedly now.

They moved quickly down the hall and to the room. And Bastion yelped at the sight in front of him. His mother was holding Violet, sitting on the ground. His fiancée's face was pale, but at least she was conscious. "Violet!" he called out to her.

"Bastion?" Violet asked in surprise, stunned to see her fiancé and his father in the doorway.

"Darling... Dad, help me walk to her..." Bastion put his hands on the armrests of the chair and used his feet to push back the footrests so his feet could touch the floor. He would get out of the chair with or without his father's help.

"Careful, son," Hiro muttered as he helped him up, aiding him in the short walk to both of their loves.

Katai lifted Violet and the parents got both kids to a couch where Bastion threw his arms around Violet. "Darling... Are you all right?" At the same time, Katai wordlessly threw her arms around Hiro.

Violet nodded, leaning as far into Bastion as physically possible and closing her eyes. The real thing was so much better than her imagination. "I'm okay... at least now I am. I fought it off, Bastion," she murmured. Meanwhile, Hiro held his wife close and asked her much the same question. The worry in his eyes was obvious.

"I'm okay," Katai murmured. "Violet's okay... One of her decks, though... it was out of control... And a monster possessed Annie... And Violet, Mary and Annie fought that monster..."

"My goodness... No wonder we felt something," Hiro muttered, kissing the top of her head. Katai enjoyed the warm hug, letting her husband's presence reenergize her.

Bastion, too, let himself enjoy the feel of his love in his arms. "Oh, darling, I felt that... I was worried you were going to..." He couldn't complete the thought.

Violet moved up to give him a light, short kiss. "I'm sorry I worried you, Bastion-baby... But if it wasn't for Annie and Mary, I don't think I could have done what I did..."

"I... saw the battle..." His voice took on a dreamy quality. He'd thought it was a dream, but now he wasn't so sure...

"What??" she asked, confused.

Bastion blinked, still not believing the possibility that he had not been dreaming. "I saw the battle... You and Mary, facing down Alien Mother... I wanted to help... And then... I was there in your hand... A sword..."

Violet's eyes went wide. "Wha... But how... That was you?!"

Bastion shivered a little. "I don't know how... but it was..."

"Okay, that is just frakkin' weird!" Chazz exclaimed from his seat. "Can't we ever have a normal confrontation between good and evil?"

"No," several voices answered simultaneously.

"Okay, then," the exclaimer responded, bemused.

Bastion looked a bit stunned himself. "I don't know how it happened, but it did, love... And you finished her perfectly..."

Violet smiled sheepishly. "I just... did what I saw in anime, manga, and video games. Lucky shot, I guess..."

"Was Mary all right?" he asked, remembering the hit the spirit girl had taken.

"For the last time, I'm fine. I'll have a scar, but that's no big," Mary stated, standing in her spirit form beside the couple.

"Glad to hear it... What about Annie?" And then he looked over at the other couch where the girl had been moved. Syrus was keeping vigil at her side until she came around.

"She's going to be okay. It'll just be a while before she wakes up," Violet explained, the relief obvious in her tone.

"But..."

"Bastion, you remember learning in Dueling History about the Battle City Tournament and one case of a person being knocked out, don't you?" Fonda asked.

"Of course, Miss Fontaine... Odion Ishtar was knocked out, but woke up on his own after significant mental... stress..."

"That's right... And you can call me Fonda now, Bastion, okay?"

"Okay," the young man said gently. "Violet... darling, is there anymore you need to get off your chest?" he asked slowly.

Violet shook her head. "No... I don't think so, Bastion."

"Then... it's my turn..." Bastion's face tightened a little. "Can we do this without Annie, though?"

"We can... we've got to," Jaden asserted calmly. "Right, Lex?"

Alexis nodded. "The sooner, the better. Bastion, are you sure you feel up to it?"

Bastion nodded, feeling better than he had in quite some time. Physically, he was still very weak, but mentally and emotionally, he was stronger than he'd been since before Darkness attacked. "Tell me what to do..."

"Just... tell what's been hurting you," Jaden explained, remembering what they'd all done while he was away. "And we'll help you through it..."

Violet took Bastion's hands into her own and squeezed. "I'll stay right here with you, Bastion-baby..."

"Thank you, love... I'm glad you're here..." Bastion took a deep breath. "All right, everyone.... Mum, Dad... I'm glad you're here too... Perhaps there are things I never really discussed..." Katai cuddled a little closer to Hiro, wondering just what was on Bastion's mind. "I guess the biggest issue was not being able to protect Violet," he began shakily. "First, it was that... thing that now is dealing with Ohio's justice system... And then it was Taniya.... And then Darkness... Violet, I kept feeling like I failed you, love... And it ate at me..."

Violet frowned a bit. "But Bastion... you didn't. I mean, think about what could have happened, especially if you hadn't been there. No one could have stopped any of it from happening, but... you did your best to save and help me afterward. You helped put Mike away where he could be changed... You saved me from Taniya... And you stopped me from falling to Darkness. And each time, you put your own life at risk and got hurt in some way... If that's failing me, then I'm glad you failed."

"I realize that now... and... this time I was able to help, though I'm still not sure how I did it," he said, referring to Violet destroying Alien Mother with him as a sword.

She gave a small grin. "Neither am I, Bastion. But you did, and that's what matters. I wouldn't have been able to do it without you... Who knows what would have happened..?"

"You would've found a way to stop her, darling," he said with a smile. "I know it..." He sat in thought for a long moment and then took a deep breath. "Another thing... Everyone... I always feared on some level that you would be as every other group of friends has been with me since I was very young... Until two Slifers treated me like I was normal, I had not had friends whom I could truly rely upon..."

"Why not, Bastion?" Syrus asked, confused. He couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't like the kind, loyal genius.

"Well... It started, really, when I was at the Albert Einstein School... I was in kindergarten and had a study session with another boy. We were to work on a science project and we went to my room to play for a bit. By then, I had been writing equations on my walls for about 3 years. He took a look and began laughing. The truth was that he was disturbed by it... We finished our work and the next day at school, he told the other children what a freak I was. It spread quickly..." Some bitterness crept into his voice at that.

Violet got a thoughtful look on her face. "Bastion, is that why you were so worried when I first visited your room in our first year?"

Jaden and Syrus exchanged glances too. "That's it, wasn't it?" Jaden asked, knowing all too well, albeit for different reasons what it is was like to be labeled a freak.

Bastion nodded. "I was worried, Violet, that you would think that, and I'd be an outcast again... But the fact that you reacted so well gave me the strength to let Syrus and Jaden in on my secret... And then Annie and everyone else."

Violet pecked his cheek reassuringly. "Well, I still think it's cute that you draw on the walls." Of course, by "draw" she meant "write."

Bastion smiled a little more. "But I started feeling better... until that evening when... everything changed," he said, drifting away to the Shadow Riders incident.

Violet somehow sensed what he'd meant, and squeezed his hand. "In our first year... the first big challenge everyone faced," she murmured.

"That night... was hell," he murmured, going back.

Bastion had never really gone into detail about what had happened that night, even with repeated coaxing from Violet. They had all feared something had happened, and now he was going to tell them....

_Over two years previously, Bastion watched as his friends ran from the ancient coliseum, pursued by Bast the tiger, leaving him and Taniya alone. While it was true he'd been pretty much stripped of his free will by this woman, a part of him found her very attractive. After all, he still was a teenage boy with all the potential desires therein. "So... we're... married?" he asked curiously as Taniya paced around him, sizing him up. _

_"That's right, cutie... we are... I think we're going to have a lot of fun tonight..." _

Back in the present, the expressions in the room varied from bemused to outright disgusted. Reading their expressions correctly, Bastion stated with a rather frustrated look on his face, "For the 50th time, nothing of an adult nature happened..."

"Then why were you screaming so much, Bastion?" Chazz asked. His teenage brain had imagined some rather interesting scenarios.

"Well," Bastion continued his narrative...

_"Lost again, kid! Come on! Show me some fight already!" Taniya grinned and then frowned as Bastion lost duel after duel to her. _

_"I'm trying! I can't figure out your deck!" he shouted in frustration. This continued until dawn when at last he was dueling in exhaustion. _

_Taniya turned away from him, disgusted. "Your dueling sucks, kid! Maybe I need someone else..." With that, she had lifted the spell._

_When he returned to himself... "I'm a failure," he muttered as he walked toward his friends and a purple-haired girl in particular._

In the present, Bastion shivered at the memory. "I felt like such a failure..."

Violet's brows furrowed. "You weren't. I can't believe she just toyed with you like that! And for what? Her entertainment? She just used you..." Her anger at this fact was clear as day. It had been very hard for her to forgive the tiger woman for that night and then the fact that her final act had been to kill Violet, it was understandable.

"The odd thing was... I think she might've had feelings... But she didn't go about it right," he stated softly, sounding as if he were in a trance. He took another deep breath. "While I was... away while I was so sick... something happened..."

_It had been the night that Bastion had almost died... The last thing he remembered was hearing Violet say, "I'm with you, Bastion-baby..." _

_And then he could hear nothing more. His body was cold and his mind was shutting down. 'Where am I?' he thought as he felt himself hurtling in the darkness. It was a different sort of darkness than what he'd fallen into in late April, but it was darkness that would obliterate him just the same. And then he heard a feminine voice. _

_"BASTION!!" the voice called. It wasn't any of his friends… But the voice was familiar to him._

_And then he felt himself being caught by a very strong arm. He whipped back from the abyss, hitting against the edge of a cliff. He was being pulled up onto the ledge. "What the devil?" he muttered as he landed on it. _

_And then he saw the face belonging to the voice. "Hey, kid," Taniya greeted._

_Bastion sputtered at the sight of her. She seemed safe and unharmed. "You're... you're... I," he stammered. _

_"Bastion... you freed me... I let jealousy get the better of me, and I couldn't stop the duel," she said calmly. "Toward the end, I wanted to be released... You didn't have a choice but to stop me the way you did, and I knew it. And it was right to end it. I was wrong and I was sorry... And now, I'm going to help you get back, okay? Violet loves you, Bastion... Go back to her... And for heaven's sake! Stop blaming yourself for stuff you can't control!" She gave him a tight hug, devoid of animalistic passion, but clearly imbued with friendship and yes, love. "Forgive yourself... I know you're going to be stubborn, but when the time comes, you've got to..." _

_And then she released him from the hug and he felt himself floating upward. "Taniya! Are you...?" _

_"Yeah! I'm okay! Let yourself be okay!" And she disappeared in a column of light...._

With that, Bastion finished his tale. "And then I heard you, love, calling me back as the heat returned..."

The shock and awe in the room was so thick that one could practically feel it. "Wow... Bastion, I... I don't know what to say," Violet murmured, unable to find the words.

Bastion wasn't sure what to say either. It took a very long moment of silence for him to find the right words. "She knew... Perhaps in those last moments of her life she knew... And perhaps she's been watching and knowing that I couldn't live with the guilt of killing her..." He met Violet's eyes. "I know I had to, but... I guess part of me was locked in wishing there'd been another way to save you and free her of her madness..." He pulled his love into a tight hug. "And now... I feel as if I could fly... I am free of it, darling... And..." Bastion felt a familiar wetness down his cheeks.

Violet hugged back just as tightly, smiling as she felt the wetness drip onto her hair. "You're okay now..."

And within Bastion's heart, the darkness that had held him disappeared like mist before the sun, pulling into his consciousness, becoming harmless shadows. "I am.... Mum... Dad... I'm sorry," he said as they moved close to hug him.

Hiro smiled as he wrapped his arms around his only child. "No, no, son... There's no need to apologize for anything... We're just glad that you're all right."

"And... Violet too... You're okay, love..." And then, Bastion felt the room spin a little. "But perhaps... I need to get back in bed..."

"I think that's a good idea for both of you," Fonda smiled from where she was sitting, close to Annie's still form.

Katai grinned, hugging both her children. "I think that's a wonderful idea. Okay, Violet?"

Violet nodded, smiling sheepishly. "Sounds good to me..."

_Bastion has finally conquered his inner darkness. It may not entirely dissipate, but for him, like the others, it is now safely contained. Next time, join us for "Break!" As always, please read and review. Thank you!_


	62. Break

Chapter LXII: Break

_Hello again, dear readers and welcome back to __**Darkness Falls**__. Sorry for the delay in chapters, folks, but Peach has had a rough few weeks of it lately. She has been in some rather emotional situations and all of it has drained her mental and physical reserves. So she apologizes for the delay and begs that you not blame Ani, yet again. So anyway, on with the story!_

_Last time on __**Darkness Falls,**__ Bastion finally fought and conquered his inner demons. In the process, the gang saw that Taniya was truly at peace. So what will happen next? Stay tuned!_

_**Disclaimer: **__…How many chapters have we put this on now? If a major corporation or anyone else owns it, do we own it? No. Seriously, no! We just own our OCs, this version of the Yugi-verse and not much else. Thanks!_

_**Warnings: **__Make-out scene toward the end! And more medical drama!_

The gang moved back to the infirmary and Annie was moved to a cubicle. At one hour after the fight, her eyes opened, but they looked as blank as they had right before Alien Mother had made her presence known. Syrus, sitting by her bed, at first brightened. "A-Annie...?" But upon closer inspection of his beloved, the brightness dimmed, extinguished by worry.

Fonda, also in the cubicle, moved close, pulling out a small flashlight. "Her pupils are dilating and contracting... If they weren't, I'd be worried," she murmured, running the light in front of the unresponsive girl's eyes. "But she's still unconscious, Sy..."

"O-oh, okay," he muttered, gripping her hand.

And then a familiar voice floated over the curtain. "Sy, can we come in?" Jaden called softly.

Syrus looked up in surprise, and then back at his fiancée. "Yeah, you can come in, Jay."

Jaden and Zane both slipped in together. "Hey," Zane greeted, first noticing Annie's eyes were open. "What's going on?" he asked, taking in his future sister-in-law's blank stare and his brother's pained expression.

"Uh, I don't know for sure. But Fonda says she isn't actually awake yet," Syrus answered quietly.

At the boys' questioning look, the nurse sighed. "It's probably the mental trauma... part of her is awake, but the rest of her isn't here yet. She may be able to hear us..."

Jaden moved to take Annie's other hand. "Come on, Annie... Alien Mother's not here anymore... You won and Bastion and Violet are okay..." And still her eyes remained blank. The former Slifer's brows knit together as he frowned.

Syrus squeezed the hand he held again. "Annie... We know that you're okay, but we're worried. Please wake up..."

And then a single tear came from her eye. "Help," she whispered from across a figurative chasm.

"We want to help, Annie," Jaden tried. "Tell us how... There's got to be a way to help her back," he murmured.

And then Usagi, in her incarnation as the Guardian of Pure Hearts, appeared at the foot of the bed, blue eyes narrowed in concern. "She's trapped..." The duel spirit floated next to her mistress's love for her own comfort and to reassure him. "Syrus, keep talking to her... She's terrified by what happened. That monster violated her and it's done something... She can't break free on her own..."

Jaden and Zane looked at each other. "How do we..?" the former Slifer asked.

"She's trying to break free, but," the duel spirit began, only to be cut off by her human friend and mistress.

"Sy... Help me," Annie whimpered.

Syrus held Annie's hand tightly, looking down at her, willing her to hear him. "Annie... Come on... Follow the sound of my voice... You can do it."

"I'm afraid… I'm going to get hurt again," she whimpered, trapped in her mindscape. She was in the woods, cowering against a big oak tree. She could see glowing red eyes all around her. But at the sound of her beloved's voice, she stood and began to walk on a cobblestone path.

"No, Annie... Not if you wake up... Come on, just follow my voice back to us," he continued, closing his gray eyes, willing his strength into her.

In Annie's mindscape, she forced herself back through the dangerous woods. Amidst the darkness, she found her way illuminated by a ray of light. She kept walking toward it as it expanded into a spotlight holding her up. "I'm coming," she called out. She began to run. And in the real world, her eyes blinked.

Syrus could sense he was getting somewhere. "That's it, Annie. Come on. You're almost there..."

Her eyes lost the blank look and became focused. "Sy?" she asked shakily, gripping his hand like it was the only handhold she had before she fell off a cliff.

"Annie! You're awake!" he exclaimed, grinning broadly. She sat up and flung her arms around him, sobbing. He instantly wrapped his arms around her, embracing her tightly. "Shh, it's okay, Annie. You're safe now," he whispered soothingly.

Wisely, after Fonda had conducted a brief examination of the girl, she, Jaden and Zane left the couple alone. "Sy," Annie hiccupped when she had control of herself again, "I was so stupid..."

Syrus shook his head. "No, Annie... no, you're not. You didn't know..."

"I...wasn't strong enough... I should've fought harder... I let it happen..."

"Annie... Violet told us what happened... You did help, and you were strong. You fought her as much as you could... she was just too powerful. Even with Mary, Violet, and Bastion working together, they almost lost..."

Annie shivered in his arms, doing what so many victims do to themselves after such a trauma. She continued to blame herself. "I wasn't good enough... I should've been... I was too weak..."

"Annie. Look at me," Syrus said sternly, realizing what she was doing. He had to have her full attention so that she would truly hear his words. She met his gaze, her own eyes pained. "I know you feel like it's your fault, for whatever reason. But it's not. Annie, I know you're smarter than this... Think about it. How could you have known that was going to happen if you picked up a card? And I don't think anyone else could have done better than you at fighting that monster," he explained sincerely.

The blue-eyed young woman nodded. "You're right, Sy..." But there was something in her look and speech that told him that even though she knew it intellectually, her emotional knowledge was another story.

* * *

As one couple dealt with the aftereffects of Alien Mother's assault, another couple lay in a bed in the infirmary's ICU, cuddling close. "It's over, love... It's over," Bastion murmured to Violet.

Violet snuggled in as close as she could to his body, her arms wrapped loosely around him as her head rested on his chest. "Yeah... finally... But you still need to heal..."

"Yeah... but I feel it's easier now... If my mind and soul wasn't all right, my body wouldn't have a fair chance... And now, my body does have a fair chance... And I can give you a better birthday this year," he smirked, eyes sparkling with unspent mischief.

She caught it out of the corner of her eye and blinked. "Bastion-baby... what are you thinking?"

Bastion managed a light chuckle. "Oh, you'll find out, Violet, darling... This year, I get to surprise you," he said in a singsong.

Violet pouted and scoffed, rubbing circles into his shirt with her finger. "And just when did I surprise you last year?"

Bastion shivered slightly at the contact, wishing he was really in condition for a make-out session. Instead, he replied, "Oh... I don't know... A surprise end-of-the-summer bash... Trips all over Cleveland... I could go on..."

Violet's pout broke into a broad grin, and she moved up to brush her lips against his jaw with a knowing chuckle. "Okay, okay, I get it. Can I help it if I love to surprise the man I love?" She didn't bother to mention the fact that she surprised everyone else just as much.

"And can I help it that I want to surprise the woman I love with something big?" he asked, brushing his lips against hers.

She flushed a light pink at the contact, smiling. "You don't have to do anything that big, Bastion... seventeen isn't as special as sixteen or eighteen or twenty-one..."

"But your sixteenth should have been much better," he murmured, then pressed his lips against hers, holding the contact a little longer. The young woman melted, unable to do anything else in the first genuine kiss she'd had in a long time. Her eyes slipped closed and she moved back against those lips, wanting to stay aloft in her bliss for as long as possible. Bastion, too, was starved for kissing the woman he loved and wanted to drink her in, much as a thirsty person in a desert drinks greedily from an oasis spring. He didn't want the moment to end. He held her to him as strongly as his weakened arms would allow.

Unfortunately, the human body required oxygen, and the two were forced to pull apart eventually. Violet panted lightly, pulling in air as she came down from her romantic high. Kissing her fiancé had never felt so wonderful. Bastion panted a little, his battered lungs still weak from the pneumonia's assault. "I didn't want that to end," he murmured.

"Neither did I, but..." Violet paused to slide her hand down his cheek. "We will have plenty of time, Bastion-baby..."

"I know, my love... I can't wait for that..." He brushed a bang back from her forehead, looking into her grass-green eyes.

She leaned into the hand, smiling softly. "Neither can I, Bastion... it'll be soon..."

"And... I can take that job at the Eisenstein Foundation," he said softly. In the late spring, he had applied for and gotten a job at his favorite scientist's lab and foundation. Eisenstein himself had sent the young man a letter, congratulating him for being the one man out of 500 applicants to succeed. Even with the delay, the renowned scientist still wanted the young man to work for him.

"I know you'll do great. You're so smart... You'll probably come up with some cool invention or solve some life mystery, I bet," she murmured, nuzzling his neck.

"Hmmm... that'd be nice... But right now, I'd prefer to solve the sweet mystery that is you," he murmured back, nuzzling back.

She blushed red this time, giggling softly. "And just what's so mysterious about me, Bastion?"

Despite feeling weak, he started to kiss her neck. "I just don't think I've learned everything there is to know about you, love... And I'll have fun finding something new every day of our lives together..."

She tilted her head, giving him more access as she closed her eyes again. The old tingling coursed through her body at the physical contact. "Well then, I'd better learn something new about _you_ every day, too. It's only fair..."

He kept kissing her neck gently. "I hope I'm that exciting..."

Things might've gotten a bit more intense, but then... "Oh, Bastion, Violet, I have... OH MY GOODNESS!" Dr. Crowler shouted, coming from behind the curtain and exiting quickly. "I'll COME BACK LATER!"

Violet gasped, eyes snapping open as she pushed away from Bastion in an effort to sit up. Failing epically, she flailed momentarily before unceremoniously rolling off the bed. "Urgh... never... fails..."

Bastion gasped in shock, his breath ragged. "That... how... do we... keep doing that?"

"It's a jinx. A conspiracy. Like the rocks and bunnies," Violet groaned as she pushed herself onto her feet, dusting off her clothes.

He sank back into his pillows. "Well... maybe that's the way of the Powers that Govern reminding us that one of us... needs to wait before really making out again..."

She sighed and crawled back into the bed, lying down beside him. "Well, you do, unfortunately... But they could at least be more subtle."

"That's true... In the meantime, let's just snuggle," he suggested.

"Good idea," she replied, doing just that.

* * *

As Bastion and Violet enjoyed themselves in the infirmary, Jaden and Alexis went out for a walk on the grounds. Jaden spun around in the sunshine. "This feels so good," he whooped.

Alexis chuckled a bit, smiling at his boyish actions. Even if he was still a little immature, she had to admit that it was endearing. Plus, it was nice to be out in the sun. "Yeah, it does... I'm glad it's summer."

"Yeah, and I think we have smooth sailing coming," he said with a grin.

"Is that your intuition talking, or are you just guessing?" she teased.

"Just this feeling I've got," he answered cheerfully. "It's like... I just feel like things are going to be okay now..." He got a thoughtful look on his face and said, "It feels like things... are in balance..."

She blinked. "In balance?"

Jaden turned away from her for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. It was something just a little beyond what he could explain immediately. Finally, he managed to figure it out. "Remember how nuts Yubel was because of the Light of Destruction?"

Alexis nodded, going over to him. "Yeah..."

"And then how nuts Sartorius was when we first met him?"

"Uh-huh..."

"They were both out of balance because they had too much of one thing..."

"Hmm, I get that... But where are you going with this, Jay?"

"Well," he said, turning to meet her eyes, "Yubel got some good light and darkness on her and is a lot better now. Sartorius needed balance, too... Now he's better too and taking care of Kagemaru..." And then as they walked through the woods, they came to a sun-dappled brook, sunlight shining through the trees onto the water. "Lex, take a look at the brook there... See how it's just light enough to see it and the trees around it?"

She examined the waterway for a moment before answering. "Yeah, I see that..."

"Now, what if the sun was too bright?" he asked.

"I wouldn't be able to see it," she answered simply.

"And it's the same way if we were out here in the middle of the night and it was cloudy and rainy... We couldn't see any of this." Jaden took a breath. "My point is... It feels like we've got the right amount of good light and dark now..."

Alexis nodded slightly. "I see what you mean... Guess we've been balancing things out for the past three years or so, huh?"

"Yeah. And I'm glad you were there with me," he said softly.

She smiled, taking his hand. "And I'm glad you were with me, Jay... you saved us too many times to count..."

"Hey, you saved me too," he pointed out, flushing a little. There were still moments and would be until the day he died that Jaden would act younger than his years, and the flush when she took his hand was one of those moments.

She didn't mind the slightly immature reaction, again finding it cute. "Yeah, you're right. I just hope we won't have to do anymore saving in the future."

"Yeah..." And then the moment passed as he kissed her impulsively. Blinking in surprise, she quickly shrugged it off and pressed back into the random kiss. Her grip tightened on his hand as they moved closer together. He changed his grip, putting his arms around her. Something had come over the former Slifer, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Alexis was a little taken aback by his eagerness, though she didn't mind. She wrapped her arms around him in turn and parted her lips, silently questioning if he wanted to continue further. Jaden responded to that, brushing his tongue forward gently. Alexis moved her tongue against his, fingers gripping his blazer as things began to heat up between them. They sank down to the grass, still kissing passionately. Jaden started to wriggle, trying to get his blazer off. She helped him, tossing the piece of clothing carelessly to the side before digging her fingers into his hair.

Still kissing her, he began running his hands through her blonde hair and up and down her back. The back of her top was loose and so he was soon touching her bare skin under the top. She shivered at his touch, breaking away momentarily for air. Her hazed, hazel eyes met his heated brown ones as she did so, hands slipping down to his cheeks. His eyes closed at her touch and he pressed his cheeks against her hands, feeling as much of that as he could. Smiling, she moved down, running butterfly kisses along his smooth jaw.

He moaned softly, letting her as he moved his hands up and down her back and then to her sides. Jaden's mind was shifting to the primal. He wanted to enjoy her and his mind was very hazy on things such as timing and where they were. She pulled in a breath at his moving hands, enjoying the contact they hadn't had in a while. Alexis' lips slipped down to the soft flesh of his neck and she gently sucked. Jaden moaned again and unbuttoned her blazer, revealing the black turtleneck tank she always wore.

Alexis shrugged off the blazer, returning her lips to Jaden's to start up another passionate kiss. Jaden obliged her, kissing back. And then he moved his lips to her jaw and down her neck, stopping at one particular spot to suck. The young woman moaned breathily, eyes closed as her fingers dug into the back of her beloved's shirt. Their legs were tangled together and the heat between them was more powerful than the sunlight streaming in through the forest canopy.

Jaden felt her pressing against him, accentuated by the tightening of his pants. His hands moved to lift her skirt…

_Cliffhanger! Will Jaden and Alexis be the first to succumb to temptation? Will anything stop them? Are your diabolical co-authors just yanking your chains? Next time, stay tuned for "Simple and Clean!" Yes, one of us has been listening to the song from __**Kingdom Hearts.**__ So see you next time! Thanks as always and please review!_


	63. Simple and Clean

Chapter LXIII: Simple and Clean

_Hello again, fans of __**Darkness Falls**__! We're glad to see you again. The delay, again, is Peach's fault, thanks to the demands and stresses of real life, including a procedure that required her being sedated. Today, we bring you a special announcement! After two years of a wonderful partnership, we say good-bye to 15animefreak15. Ani has earned an all-expenses-paid vacation to __**Axis Powers Hetalia**__ Island! We hope you check out her fics in that fandom, if you're interested. Peach would like to thank Agent of the Divine One for his help in trying to co-author, and would like to introduce all of you to Lobo Argost, the new co-author, who's been a fan of this story since the beginning of the series! Give him a round of applause, folks!_

_And so we come to the next chapter! Last time, the gang enjoyed various stages of recovery and Jaden and Alexis started having some fun in the woods. Will they be stopped in time? Stay tuned!_

_**Disclaimer: **__Please see the previous chapters. And if it's owned by any company, a rock star, or any other entity, there's a very high probability we don't own it. Everyone got that? Good! _

_**Warning:**__ Disturbing imagery and intimate situations, including an off-color joke. Also, it is a bit dialogue-heavy in some places._

And then, he felt something land on his head. But just as things might have more out of hand than they were, Jaden felt something land on his head and peck at him. "What the-?" he yelped.

And then, to make matters worse... "I'm gonna get you, you danged bird!" a familiar voice shouted as the sound of underbrush crashing apart came closer to the couple.

The tiny, black and white-feathered woodpecker that had borrowed Jaden's mussed hair for a perch didn't seem fazed by the exclamation as it continued to peck at his skull. However, at the last second, it flew off and a net that had obviously been for it fell instead over the Slifer's head. Instinctively, Alexis screamed and was torn from her haze as she grabbed the nearest object— a small rock— and chucked it at their attacker.

"Gotcha!" Tyson Hassleberry shouted. And then he felt the rock hit and looked toward the direction it had come from. "Sam Hill! Wait... Sarge?"

"Uh... Hi, Tyson," Jaden said, blushing fire red as he realized he and Alexis had been caught in a very compromising position.

Tyson realized it too. "Uh..."

Alexis, realizing it was Tyson, was a similar shade of beet red. "Tyson... what in the name of Cyber Blader are you doing?" she finally exclaimed, for lack of anything better to say.

"Uh... tryin' to capture... that... woodpecker... Sorry!" Tyson quickly removed the net from Jaden, and ran off, his own tan visage crimson.

Jaden was still beet red from the encounter and the subsequent interruption. "Oh, man..."

"That was embarrassing," Alexis groaned, covering her face with a hand. _Of all the ways to be walked in on…_

"Uh... yeah..." They got up, getting what clothes they'd removed back on. And insanely, Jaden started to giggle. It might've been the stress of the moment, but he'd found something terribly funny about what had just happened.

Alexis blinked in surprise and frowned at Jaden. "What?"

"Woodpecker," he giggled. It was one of the rare times he actually understood a double entendre.

At first, she was still confused, but finally the joke hit her and she rolled her eyes. "Nice, Jaden," she muttered, lightly bopping her fiancé on the head. _Of all the times for him to figure something like this out…_

"Sorry, Lex," he apologized, grinning sheepishly. "Man... If he hadn't interrupted us..."

She sighed. "Yeah, I know... that was getting pretty close..."

He blushed a little as they started back on their walk. "It's just... it's hard to keep waiting..."

She nodded, taking his hand. "It is... But it won't be too much longer, Jay."

"Yeah..." As they walked together, however, both had to admit to themselves that they might not be able to hold out anymore.

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

As Jaden and Alexis enjoyed their walk, Annie sat up in her bed in the infirmary. One hand reached up to brush her bangs out of her face, while the other hand plucked aimlessly at the nubs on the blanket. She drew her lower lip under her front teeth, nibbling gently. Her blue eyes narrowed as she glanced down at the nubs, brows furrowing.

"Something wrong, Annie?" Syrus asked from his seat next to the bed, concern reflected on his face and in his eyes.

She didn't hear him at first. She kept picking at the blanket. It took him saying her name a couple of times more before she responded. "Huh? Oh, what, honey?"

"Is something wrong?" he asked again, putting a hand on hers, his face still wrought with concern.

"No, I'm fine," she answered with a smile. But there was something in her expression that belied it.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his cyan eyebrows rising past his bangs.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered, a slight edge in her voice.

"I'm just worried about you. You're tense," he said, squeezing her hand a bit.

Annie's eyes flashed like a bolt of lightning. "I'm all right, okay?" she snapped abruptly. "You can stop worrying!"

He flinched; she'd never once snapped at him. "Annie, you've never snapped at me."

Normally, she would've been stricken at doing such a thing, but right now, Anne Charlotte Hanson was a creature of rage. "Look, just back off, okay? And just go for a bit!"

"Annie! This isn't like you!" he countered, shocked at her unusual behavior.

"JUST BACK OFF!" she shouted. For some reason, she hated looking at him.

"NO! THIS ISN'T LIKE YOU! TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG!" he shouted back, feeling like a dagger had pierced his heart and someone was twisting it.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" she shrieked.

"NO! WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER! YOUR PROBLEMS ARE MINE AS WELL! JUST LIKE MY PROBLEMS ARE YOURS!" he yelled, standing so suddenly that his chair fell over.

"GET OUT!" she yelled back, grabbing up a book and throwing it at him. It was a thick paperback and would have hurt had it struck. As it was, it whistled past him, missing his head by about four inches. But instead of running from the room, he moved to the side of the bed calmly.

"Annie, let me help you. Tell me what's wrong," he murmured, pulling her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her arms and torso.

He had been wise to pinion her arms or he would've gotten slapped. "Let me go!" she cried again.

"Just tell me what's wrong," he requested again, tightening his hold a bit. "I want to help you."

His arms, once barely strong enough to hold her, now could keep her from hurting him. "Just..." Tears spilled down her soft face, and sobs began to wrack her body.

Fonda, hearing the commotion, raced down from her office alcove. "Syrus? What in the world is going on?" she queried.

"I think getting possessed is still affecting her," he said in the same soft voice, not letting his love go.

Fonda sat down on the bed with them, eyebrows drawing together. "What happened?" Syrus told her what had occurred. "Annie... why did you throw something at him?"

"I... I don't know..." Another tear ran down her left cheek across the scar left by Mary.

"Annie, please tell us what's wrong," Syrus begged his betrothed. She couldn't say a word, keening and wailing alternately. The only thing he could do was hold her, rubbing her back, making soothing noises. She finally lapsed into silence, crying silently against his shoulder.

Fonda murmured, "Just keep holding her... She'll talk when she's able to."

Annie cried silently for fifteen minutes. When she finished, she looked at her beloved with watery red-rimmed eyes. "Honey, I'm so sorry... I was so mean..."

"It's okay," he said softly. "I'm sorry too."

"Sy... I tried to hit you," she whimpered. An intense feeling of loathing welled up within her. _How could I do that to him? That's spousal abuse!_ her mind screamed at her.

Somehow, he guessed what she was thinking, "Technically we're not spouses yet."

"But... it's still domestic violence... How could I do that to you?" Her heart ached with hurt and disgust at herself. "It was right she possessed me... She picked me because she sensed I was capable of this…"

"No, Annie. Alien Mother is gone. You just happened to pick up the card. She didn't choose you."

"It's my fault..." Her voice, so angry at one point, was dull again.

"No, it's not," he asserted. "How were we to know that Alien Mother would possess you?"

"Sh-she took control... I couldn't stop her..."

"You tried, didn't you?"

"I did... but I couldn't..."

"Annie," Fonda broke in, "this wasn't your fault, sweetheart... We're going to remind you of that until you believe it..."

When Annie was calm enough, Fonda suggested that Syrus take his fiancée back to their room. They left quickly and when in the room, the girl took a shower and then put on her nightgown. "I just want to rest for a while," Annie explained as she stood in the sitting room.

"Okay," he said, smiling at her before giving her a gentle kiss. "Call if you need me." He sat back down on the leather couch and read a book he'd started last week. After a while, Syrus put his book down and went to check on Annie. Quietly entering the bedroom, he approached the bedside. She lay on her right side, curled up, and apparently didn't sense his presence. He gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She stirred slightly, but didn't wake or talk in her sleep. He smiled and softly kissed her forehead before returning to the sitting room.

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Meanwhile, Jaden and Alexis continued their walk around the island. "This is much nicer than a run at six AM," he said, smiling in relief.

"That sounds like something Chumley would say," she answered with a slight chuckle.

The young man grinned back. "Yeah... Well you haven't been on Tyson's training runs..."

"As much energy as you have, if you don't look forward to them, then I certainly don't," she said cheerfully, stretching. "It's such a nice day. And it's really warm."

"Yeah... Hey, Lex?"

"Yeah, Jay?"

"You know... we never really had a rematch," he stated casually.

She thought for a moment. "No, we didn't. You want one?"

"If you're game," he answered, grinning at her.

She grinned back at him in challenge. "Let's duel."

He nodded, pulling out his deck. _Yubel, you ready for this?_ He sensed his spirit guardian and friend beside him.

_Yes, let's go,_ Yubel responded, eager for just a fun duel.

Alexis drew her deck, sensing the familiar presence of Cyber Angel Benten beside her. 'Mistress, are you ready?" the warrior angel asked the former Obelisk Queen.

"Yup. Let's do it," the former Queen of Obelisk Blue answered as she readied her duel disk.

The two combatants with their respective duel spirit allies quickly shuffled their decks and drew. "Okay, so who goes first?" Jaden asked.

Alexis smirked, "It's polite to let a lady go first."

"Yeah, I know. But you are a liberated woman, you know..."

"I'll still go first," Alexis said, drawing and looking at her hand. "I summon Cyber Tutu (1000/800) in attack mode," she said as the tutu wearing skater appeared. "I'll place one card face-down, and end my turn."

Jaden thought quickly. _Hmmm... Cyber Tutu with a facedown... And Cyber Tutu has a special ability for me to worry about. So what to do... Got it!_ "Okay, Lex, I start with Elemental Hero Burstinatrix (1200/800) in attack mode and I play the spell card, 'Burst Impact,' which... Well, you remember what it does, right?"

"Yeah, it destroys all other monsters, and we both get hit for 300 points of damage for each of our own monsters," Alexis said as Tutu was destroyed and her life points fell to 3700.

"And since Burstinatrix is the only monster on my side, I don't take any damage. Sorry, Lex," he mock-apologized.

"It's only 300 points, Jay," Alexis stated, glad to be able to duel without her or someone else's life being on the line.

"Well, still... Anyway, I lay one card facedown and that'll do it for me! Your turn," he said, feeling the warmth radiate through him. _No dueling for high stakes... No duel spirits angry at me... Sorry, Yubel,_ he sent to his spirit friend, worried she'd be offended.

_It's okay, Jaden,_ Yubel sent back, chuckling, knowing her friend's feelings for her didn't include a grudge.

"I draw. And I activate Machine Angel Ritual! Now I sacrifice Cyber Angel Idaten to ritual summon Cyber Angel Benten (1800/1500) in attack mode," Alexis called out as the fan wielding warrior appeared, striking a pose.

"Nice card," he stated calmly. He was ready for this.

"Cyber Angel Benten, take out his Burstinatrix!" the young woman commanded, Benten moving in for the kill.

Jaden might've looked worried. However, he didn't. In fact, he smirked. "Walked right into it, Lex! You triggered my trap, A Hero Emerges! Pick a card, any card!" he offered, holding up the three cards in his hand.

Alexis thought for a moment, making her selection. "The middle card."

The grin remained on the young man's face and broadened. "Come on out, Neos (2500/2100)!"

The huge leader of the Neo-Spacian monsters emerged on Jaden's side of the field. Before he could add his commentary about Neos' job in the Dominion of the Beasts, the hero held up one admonishing finger. "Not. One. Word, Jaden. I am not going to put up with this for the rest of our lives." In fact, if one looked closely, one might see an anger mark on Neos' head. The young man distinctly heard snickers from his deck, his fiancée's deck and... his fiancée?

Alexis fortunately managed to stop it after a moment. "I'm sorry, Jay, but it's just so funny."

"I wasn't going to say it!" he complained.

"Anyway, Benten can continue her attack," Alexis stated as Benten destroyed Burstinitrix. There was an explosion of pixels and Jaden's life points dropped to 3400. "Your turn," his opponent added with a deceptively sweet smile.

'She's got a trap... I have to do something here,' he thought. "I draw," he stated. 'YES!' "I play the spell card, Pot of Greed so I can draw two more cards!" A rather ugly-looking stein appeared on the field and exploded while the young man made his selection.

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

The couple dueled for another four turns and then Jaden grinned sheepishly as his life points dropped to zero. "That's game... You got me..."

"Yeah, I did," she said, walking over as if to shake his hand, but going for a hug instead.

He tried swinging her into his arms, but it didn't work. "Uh... maybe you should lift me?" he suggested, sweat-dropping.

"We don't need to do that," she said, pressing her lips to his, lifting him in her rather strong arms.

He blushed a little bit, but grinned as well. "I'm glad you're stronger than me."

"You'll have to get stronger though. I'd like you to be able to lift me," she said, setting him down.

"Yeah... Well, remember when we were weightlifting in the Obelisk gym and you had to get that barbell off me?"

"That was funny," she snickered at the memory. He had tried to lift something way too heavy in the gym around Thanksgiving.

"Maybe it's good that way. I like you being stronger than me... And you do keep me from doing stupid stuff," he reminded her as they fixed their duel disks.

"Yeah, I do," she said confidently. "What would you do without me?"

"Probably go off on a journey somewhere, not knowing where I'm going," he joked. "So... what do we do tonight?"

"Anything you want to do?" she asked as they resumed their stroll.

They were walking above the beach where they could see Atticus out on the waves with Chazz, Aster, Jesse, Jim, Adrian, Echo and Sid. "I'm not sure what I want to do... Maybe we could just chill tonight," he answered.

"That sounds good," she said, looking out at the waves and guys. Atticus was, of course, out-surfing everyone. Even Aster Phoenix found himself outmatched by her older brother. In fact, there was a splash and the silver-blonde duelist came up. "Want to change into swimsuits and join them?"

Jaden's mind shifted to the image of her in her favorite two-piece pink swimsuit and the feeling of earlier came back. "That... probably... is a good idea," he answered, a bead of sweat dripping from his brow.

The bead of sweat didn't miss her gaze. "Let's go."

They quickly headed back to their room in Slifer and started to change. As he pulled off his clothes and moved to his swimsuit, though, he turned back to see her. The sunlight filtered through the blinds, accentuating her every curve and making her blonde hair glow. The vision she presented made his throat tight.

"Stop it! You're making me blush," she said, her face turning a shade of crimson as she caught his gaze. Oddly, the look he was giving her was… intoxicating.

"S-sorry, Lex... It's just... You're... wow... right now," he stammered, his whole being sending him signals. Apparently, her body and mind were doing the same thing and she walked toward him. She took charge as they kissed slowly, hungrily yet tenderly. Though it had the fire of their time in the woods, this session had another inexplicable quality. Whatever it was, it was irresistible. They fell backward onto the bed they had shared for over half a year without succumbing to temptation. He was beneath her as they fell.

She was firmly taking charge of him and he was content to allow her. She had never been one to be passive in their make-out sessions, and now... His mind flashed to what they were doing, or about to do. He managed to meet her eyes, even in the romantic warmth. _Are you sure?_ he asked with his eyes.

She met his eyes, resolve, certainty, and all the love she felt for him reflected in them. _Yes._ And so they continued on... When it was over, she lay next to him, warm and glistening with light sweat.

"Lex," he murmured, lips against her forehead. "That was... Wow... We actually... You're not upset we didn't wait... Are you?"

She lifted her head to look at him. "No, the truth is, I don't think I could fight it anymore."

"Yeah, me too... Did... Did I hurt you?" he asked, concerned. He knew it hadn't lasted enough, but hopefully that would come with time and patience.

"It hurt a little at first, but then it was okay," she reassured him.

"I didn't make you feel good, though... Not enough..." He felt her arms around him tighten a little at that. "I know I didn't..."

"Jaden, we knew it wouldn't be perfect the first time. But I was with you," she reminded him, hoping to dispel his doubts.

"Next time, I'll try to make it better... Should... Should we get a shower?" he asked, noting his own sweaty body.

"Yeah, then we can go to the beach. Think the others are still there?" she wondered.

He glanced over at their digital clock. "It's only been... 25 minutes... Yeah, probably..."

"Let's shower, then," she said, getting up to head to the bathroom.

They got their robes on and headed to the Slifer showers since there were no other boys in the dorm. "We could save water and take a shower at the same time," he suggested, just thinking of conserving water.

"We've already been intimate; I don't think showering together will have much effect anymore," she joked, wondering if he was already feeling feisty again.

He flushed. "Uh... not that... We could save time and water and get a shower together."

"I know," she answered, eyes gleaming. 'He's cute when he's embarrassed,' she thought to herself.

They showered without succumbing to temptation again, and quickly ran down to the beach. "Hey," the former Slifer greeted his brothers-in-law and the rest of the group.

"Hey, Slacker," Chazz called back.

"Hey, mates," Jim said, tipping his hat while Shirley growled her greeting.

"So are we surfing?" Jaden asked after the greetings were through.

"You bet! The waves are perfect!" Atticus said, grinning.

The gang ran out on the water together, but Chazz could tell something had changed between his friend and his sister. After the surfing was over, the group of boys and the single girl headed back to their dorms, the couple walking hand in hand. "Bro?" Chazz asked his brother quietly as they walked alone.

"What is it, Chazz?" Atticus asked, just as quietly.

"They're acting different..."

"Who, Jay and Lex?"

"Yeah," the youngest Rhodes answered.

"What do you think is up?" the elder brother asked.

"I don't know... They just... They're acting different..."

"I hope they're not fighting."

"It's not that," the younger boy stated, brows knitting together. "It's something... good, I think..."

Atticus thought for a moment, then blushed. Chazz looked up and might've asked what had happened, but something told him not to ask. Both continued their walk up to the dorms, lost in thought. Chazz ran his hand through his hair, cheeks crimson with what he figured had happened. The elder Rhodes brother, for his part, wondered what might happen next. _What'll happen when they have kids? _his mind screamed at him. Whatever happened next, though, he knew he would protect his family, present and future.

_Jaden and Alexis have been intimate, the first couple to succumb to the temptation. What will the future bring for them? What about the rest of the gang? Stay tuned for the next chapter! Please read and review!_


	64. Playtime

Chapter LXIV: Playtime

_**As usual, two people step onto the stage. This time, however, it is Peach and Lobo Argost. **__Hello, everyone and welcome back to "Darkness Falls!" Sorry for the major delay in updating, but again, it's Peach's fault. Real life has been dreadfully insane._

_**Lobo smiles. **__It has, hasn't it? I myself have been busy with college and such, but still found time for this masterpiece._

_**Peach grins sheepishly. **__Everyone, this is Lobo, my new co-author. As you all may know by now, Ani is happily engrossed in the Axis Powers Hetalia fandom. She may pop up sometimes, and you will know when she does!_

_**Lobo smiles again, waving. **__It's truly an honor to be the co-author. I've followed this series from the beginning. It's truly a work of art._

_**Peach blushes, not sure she'd call this series a masterpiece. **__Lobo, all I know is that I have had fun writing this fic series. I have been blessed by the people I've met._

_**Lobo continues, **__I've enjoyed reading it, and now here I am helping to produce it. I only hope that I can produce the same quality that the readers have come to expect._

_**Peach, still blushing, decides to move right along to the recap. **__I think you can. Now, then... Last time on _Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Darkness Falls_, the gang dealt with some unexpected yet somehow expected situations. Jaden and Alexis were caught by Tyson, resulting in a comical situation involving a woodpecker. They dueled and Alexis emerged victorious. The couple returned to their dorm where this time, things were not interrupted. On a less happy note, Annie took her pain out on Syrus, and afterward beat herself up over it. And so we come to the next chapter! As usual, we have to do a boring disclaimer... _

_**Lobo clears his throat and sighs, staring down the lawyers. **__We do not own _Yu-Gi-Oh GX_ or any of the characters therein. We also do not own the myriad of medical sites and texts that we drew various bits of knowledge from._

_**Peach laughs. **__If we did own the Yugi-verse, things clearly would be different. We'd also be rich._

_**Lobo joins in the laughter. **__That we would. Enjoy the latest chapter of Darkness Falls._

_Authors' Note: We thank 15animefreak15 very much for her assistance with this chapter. Thanks, Ani!_

_Warning: Some sibling fluff, brotherly bonding and a nasty 24-hour virus. Thanks for your attention!_

* * *

As the boys walked up the beach toward the grassy field, the youngest Rhodes brother got a competitive gleam in his eyes. "Hey, Twin Slacker! Don't tell me you're tired yet!" he shouted at Jesse.

"Not by a long shot!" Jesse yelled back, a grin on his face as he picked up the pace.

"I think that was a challenge," Axel commented drily as Jim, Adrian, and himself stopped in their tracks.

"Sure sounds like it," Jim answered. "Don't you think so, Shirley?"

Shirley, again strapped to Jim's back, growled softly. Had she been human, the saltwater croc would have been toe-to-toe with the youngest Rhodes saying, "Game on!"

"Well, I don't know about you fellas, but I accept his challenge!" Jim said, running after Chazz.

Aster, fortunately, had packed a soccer ball in his beach bag. "Hey, guys, how about a soccer game? I was the top goalie when I played in my pee-wee league," he stated casually.

"Dude, we don't have to be convinced at how freakin' wonderful you were at sports! We know!" Chazz complained as he sat down on the grass and pulled on a pair of sneakers from his beach bag.

Aster froze, remembering the Fofesca sisters that had stalked him briefly and how they bragged about their supposed abilities. His talents might be real, but he did not have to say exactly how great he was. "Good point."

Adrian, for his part, was glad for an additional game. "Echo, Sid, do you want to play too?"

Echo nodded with a slight smirk. "Sure, sounds like fun." In truth, she was eager to show off her formidable skills in front of the boys. When she had attended school, she had played on a team that had gone to the state championships.

"Yeah, big brother! I bet us three'll make a great team together!" Sid cheered, excitement in his eyes as he suppressed the urge to run circles around his companions. He was a bundle of energy like any little kid and would probably outlast the teenagers around him with ease.

"Sounds like it's decided!" Atticus whooped as they spread out on the field. He kicked the ball, shooting it to no one in particular. The ball whizzed across the field and as the little band had decided against goalies, Aster ran to intercept. He got his foot under the ball, lifted his body into the air and flipped over as if he was on an invisible dirt bike, pedaling hard. The ball sailed through the air to Echo. The tall woman followed it with her eyes and bounced it off her forehead toward Chazz.

She had hit the ball with such force that he had to duck out of the way. "Heads up, somebody!" Chazz shouted. The ball cut through the air toward Axel who almost seemed to pirouette as he extended his muscular dark leg. His foot came out like a striking cobra and launched the ball back toward Jim.

Jim brought his leg up and knocked the ball toward Adrian with the precision of a crocodile's bite. "Comin' at ya, mate!"

Adrian easily fielded the ball, stopping it with his foot. "Okay, little bro, here it comes!" he called as Sid looked up at him eagerly.

"Okay, big brother!" Sid called back, happy to be part of the game. The small boy ran up alongside his brother and Adrian passed him the ball gently. He knew his brother still had some trouble with his energy levels and didn't want to push. The grass, nevertheless, whizzed by them as they passed the ball between themselves. Other pairs of feet stopped, and several pairs of eyes just watched the brothers.

Aster, now standing next to Echo asked, "Do they do this a lot?"

"Mostly tennis, but only as much as Sid could do safely," Echo said somberly.

"He seems a lot better," the silver-blonde observed as Sid just managed to kick the ball past Jaden.

"Yeah, he's getting better, but he still has a ways to go before he gets a clean bill of health," she answered. Yet as the laughter of the little boy and the young man she loved rang through the air, Echo reflected that perhaps it was closer rather than further away.

Meanwhile, Sid passed the ball back to Adrian and the older boy's foot connected with the black-and-white sphere, stopping it solidly. "You okay, Sid?" he asked, smiling and sweating a little.

"I feel great, big brother!" Sid panted, hands on his little knees. Sweat was gathering behind his ears, making his fly-away brown hair go limp. The casual observer would not see it, but Adrian's practiced eye saw a slight tremor in the boy's body.

"Hey, let's slow down a little." Adrian casually kicked the ball at Atticus and walked his little brother off the field to sit under a huge oak.

Jaden raced in front of Atticus, though, and caught the ball. "Get me, Atticus!"

"Oh it's on, Jaden!" Atticus shouted back, chasing after his future brother-in-law.

* * *

The young men and women worked up a hard sweat until shadows began to lengthen across the island. "Man, that was good," Jaden said to Alexis as they walked to a drinking fountain. His usually fluffy hair was sticking to his head, and his t-shirt was clinging to his body.

"Yeah, it was fun," Alexis agreed before taking a long pull of water. She too was sweaty, but somehow had managed to only have one lock of hair stick to her forehead.

"You feeling okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I feel great," she answered, stretching her lean, muscular body. Truth to tell, she was a little bit sore from their earlier activities, but she still felt pretty good.

"Good. Maybe later, we can go out to the beach when it's all quiet and just look up at the stars..."

"I'd like that," she smiled.

He chuckled as a somewhat crazy idea came to him. "We could re-enact our first duel, but I don't think we should tie Sy up again..."

"Yeah, I don't think he'd like that," Alexis laughed, remembering that night almost three years before. "Annie wouldn't, either."

Jaden smiled, remembering the blue-headed figure returning to their dorm that night three years before. Syrus had been quietly triumphant, even as he had remained somewhat timid. The next morning, Jaden, Chumley and the rest of the boys in the group had discovered why. But now, the brown-haired male looked over at the main building with a sigh. "I hope they're okay."

Just then, a familiar small figure came jogging up from the direction of Obelisk Blue. "Hey, Sy!" Jaden grinned at the small boy in a white t-shirt and blue shorts, but the grin turned into a puzzled frown when he saw Annie was not tagging along.

"Hey, Jay." Sy greeted his best friend with a forced smile.

"You doing okay, bro?" the taller young man asked. Syrus answered in the affirmative, but Jaden was not fooled, seeing the shadow in his surrogate brother's eyes. "Sy... what's up?" he asked again.

"Annie and I had a fight," the blue-head sighed, still feeling awful.

Whatever the former Slifer had been expecting, it was not this. "Wait, what?" he yelped. He took a deep breath and spoke again. "What. The heck. Happened?"

The small, young man drew a frustrated breath, telling them what exactly had occurred. "….I got her calmed down, but…. Was I wrong to stay with her?" he asked uncertainly. He was not sure it had been the right course of action, but he could not shake the feeling that leaving her might have been catastrophic.

Jaden shivered at the image of Annie actually throwing a book or trying to hit Syrus. He felt Yubel's steadfast presence at that moment, knowing he needed her as much as he needed Alexis at his side. Both of them had great wisdom, and the former Slifer needed that wisdom to help his friend through this. "Sy, she's been through something that nobody should have to go through. And I can't tell you if it was the right thing to do or not, but you were there for her. But she seriously thought she was a husband beater?"

"Yeah," Syrus answered. "I know she isn't that way and I couldn't make her think she wasn't. She just had a bad thing happen…"

"Well, we all know she isn't like that. Where is she now?"

"In our room, sleeping."

"Can we check on her?"

"Y-Yeah."

When they headed to the room, they found the dark-haired, young woman lying in the bed where her beloved had left her. She was sound asleep against the pillows. The sleeping meds had done their job. "Lex, look," Jaden whispered softly.

"Yeah," Alexis whispered, finding it hard to believe Annie could have been so violent. And while Alexis could understand why Annie felt the way she did— what she had done technically fit the definition of domestic violence— she also knew the dark-haired girl's tendency to beat herself up over small matters. To the blonde former Obelisk's mind, her friend had blown this stuff way out of proportion.

"Alien Mother messed with her head…. but how could she think she's like a guy who beats his wife up?" Jaden wondered (Sy had headed to the bathroom).

"Jay, she's hard on herself. I've watched it for three years. She still felt bad after the incident with Sy because she felt she'd been hateful. I finally had to tell her to stop apologizing because it was getting on my nerves." Alexis managed a soft laugh at the past annoyances, which Jaden joined in with until the girl in the bed stirred. They became quiet again as she fell still once more.

"Yeah, she does that. Remember the time she got mad at me when she was… uh… in that time of the month? She's dead to the world, bro," Jaden said, adding the last as his friend returned to the bedroom. "She stirred a little bit, but she's out."

"I hope the fight was just a little bump," the bespectacled, young man whispered as Annie stirred and cried out once more. "Annie, I'm here…" He took her hand, sitting down beside her. She murmured his name and something that sounded strangely like supplication as she gripped the hand holding hers. "Shhh… It'll be okay, Annie. I'm not mad…" Her hand slackened, but rather than let it fall to the bed, he laid it down on the pillow.

When Sy stood once more, Jaden whispered, "Do you want to stay here? Lex and I can bring you dinner..."

"Sure. Thanks, Jay."

"No problem… I think we're having hot dogs over a bonfire..."

"All right."

Jaden and Alexis quietly left the room. "At least they'll be okay," he said.

"I hope so," she murmured, the sounds of their shoes making light thumps on the carpet and clicks on the common room's marble floors. They strode out into the evening and headed to a place close to the beach where some of the gang was setting up a bonfire.

_"_Ty-Ty, be careful with those logs_,"_ Rosa was saying in Spanish as she broke kindling with her bare hands.

"Not to worry, Spanish Rose," Tyson answered as he hefted a rather large log. "Remember, I'm dino-stroo-AH!" He lost his balance, the log twisting in his grip. It would have fallen, but two strong arms other than his own caught the log.

A pair of sparkling, brown eyes met his muddy green ones. "You were saying, Ty-Ty?" Rosa smirked.

"I… think I need some reinforcements," he chuckled. Together they pushed the large log into place.

The other teens and adults were helping as well, including Echo and Rachel. "I don't think I've ever built a bonfire, Echo," the Gecko matriarch stated, smiling as she twisted newsprint around some twigs.

"I did a few times at my training school," Echo reminded her mother with a slight smile. "Just watch what I do, Mom, and you'll be fine."

"Thanks, honey. I know we're going to enjoy tonight."

"Yeah, we will," Echo agreed as she positioned another log in the fire pit.

Once the logs were in place, the entire group added kindling. And then...

"BRO, DO NOT USE LIGHTER FLUID!" Chazz yelled.

"Why not?" Atticus asked, holding the huge bottle of said flammable liquid over the wood and paper.

Anger marks appeared over the youngest Rhodes' head. "Remember second year when my jacket caught fire?"

"Oh yeah." The elder Rhodes brother laughed and sweat-dropped at the memory of the bonfire nearly two years previously.

"All we need is Bastion out here, nervous about daring you to go panty raid Violet's room," Jaden grinned as he and Alexis sat together on a log.

"Now _**that**_ was funny," Atticus chuckled, brown eyes lighting up with unsuppressed mirth. "He tripped all of Violet's booby traps!"

"And you guys all had to help me get that stuff off me!" Chazz howled. "Bastion, you..!" And then he remembered. "...Aren't here..."

"Nope, he's not here right now. Please leave a message after the beep," Atticus joked, but he stopped when he caught his brother's expression. "Bro, I'm sorry…. He's going to get out of there, remember?"

"Yeah…. I know you meant well, big bro."

The fire was soon roaring, and then Fonda, Don, and Belowski came down from the main building, bringing food with them. "Hey, dudes," the small, teen boy shouted with his soon-to-be parents. Behind them were Marcel, Blair, and Professor Bonaparte.

"Good evening, everyone," Bonaparte greeted cheerfully.

"Hey guys!" Atticus said excitedly.

"C'mon, Marcel," Blair said tightly, dragging her friend to a log seat. "We're going to roast hot dogs!"

"I have never done that, Blair," Marcel said, sitting down and twiddling his thumbs, eyes widening nervously.

"This is a perfect time to learn," she grumbled. "Don't you camp in France?"

"I guess it is a good time to learn how you Americans camp," Marcel answered, wondering what in the world he had done to make Blair mad. "In France, we camped in… I believe you call them mobile homes. Maman and Papa cooked as we normally do and our campsite was near a grocery store." She did not seem to be listening now, so he put his hot dog on a skewer without another word.

Jasmine brought a skewer to Atticus and sat next to him. "Mom thought I was nuts for staying here," she admitted, blushing lightly.

"Jasmine, what do you mean?"

"Well, I talked to her before she left after graduation. We haven't been dating that long but I reminded her that we've been friends for a while too and all of us needed to stick together. And I'm going to college, remember?"

"Yeah. Did she understand why you stayed?" he asked, watching

"Yeah, she understood... Doesn't stop her from wanting me to be home, though…"

Atticus's lips quirked upward. "Yeah… I know what that's like. When I came home two years ago, Mom was… reluctant to let me come back to the Academy. But she said at the end of summer that I had to go back and finish school, and watch out for my sister. The truth is, though, I think Lex looked out for me a lot more."

"Yeah..." She glanced over at Zane, roasting his hot dog on a stick, sitting next to Yusuke. Atticus followed her gaze. "Hard to believe... He'll be a dad next year... Guess that makes you an uncle…"

"Kind of," he answered, mentally chuckling at the image of Zane changing diapers and pushing a sporty stroller. "I never expected him to be the first of us to have a kid."

"Yeah… I wonder who'll be next."

"No telling."

Aster Phoenix, for his part, sat staring into the fire as he cooked his food. His stomach twisted a little bit, something he attributed to having eaten more junk food than he usually did. The smell of the wood and the crackle of the flames reminded him of a nearly forgotten night when his father and himself sat at the beach roasting hot dogs, the smell of the ocean competing with the scent of wood flame and cooking meat. 'Wish you were here, Dad,' he thought again, a slight lump forming in his throat. But Aster would not cry.

Meanwhile, Jim roasted two hot dogs on his stick. "Kinda like campin' out with Dad in the bush, right, Shirley?" Jim asked his reptilian companion. Shirley growled lightly, remembering the smell of warm sausages over a campfire in Northern Australia. She stayed close to him, waiting for her share. "Here ya go, girl," Jim said, blowing on one hot dog to cool it a little. The crocodile took it as gently as a human child and butted her human companion with her snout, a gesture of thanks. He in turn petted her scaly skin.

The gang ate their fill and moved onto s'mores. At the same time, Jaden grabbed a take-out box Dorothy had provided and filled it with hot dogs in buns and a few fresh s'mores. "They'll like this," he muttered to himself as he packed.

* * *

The gang finished off their dinners and headed to their rooms with the exception of Jaden, who got food to a very tired Syrus. Aster Phoenix, meanwhile, was heading up the hill to Obelisk when the earlier feeling in his stomach became far stronger. 'Uh-oh,' he thought, running at top speed for the bathroom. He did not hear a concerned friend call after him; that is, he did not hear until he made it to the bathroom.

"Hey Aster, you okay?" Atticus called out, sticking his head into the bathroom. Aster did not answer, making it into the bathroom stall just in time. "Aster, you okay in there?" Atticus repeated, worried. Aster's answer was not in words, but it was a clear indicator he was not all right. "I'll stay right here!"

It took a long moment for Aster to clear out, but finally he did. "Oh, man," he groaned weakly as he stepped out of the stall. He felt as he had the first time he had gone skydiving, except it was as if a swarm of butterflies were struggling to fly out of his throat and intestines, unsuccessful and subsiding in his stomach. He also felt suddenly sweaty.

"Something you ate?" Atticus asked, helping him to the sink to clean up. A wave of dizziness overcame the silver-blonde duelist. He sank to one knee, groaning. "Should we get Fonda?" his brown-haired protector asked, his alarm evident.

"Just…. help me to my room... please?" Aster requested, hating this moment of weakness.

"Sure thing," Atticus conceded as he slipped one of Aster's arms over his shoulder.

Aster was not quite sure how it happened. One minute, he was walking and supported by Atticus; the next, Atticus was laying him down in his room. The big boy was saying something to him… what was it?

"Aster, I'm calling Fonda. Is that okay?" he asked.

Aster blinked, hot and sweaty. His mouth tasted terrible, so he must have thrown up again. "Huh?"

"Do you want me to call Fonda?"

Aster could not focus enough to answer. He must have drifted again, because the next thing he heard was Fonda's warm voice. "Atticus, thank goodness you called me…"

"What's wrong with him?" Aster heard it from what seemed like miles away. He felt her cool hand brush his cheek and something else poke into his ear, beep, and then that something was removed before he drifted off again.

Meanwhile, the nurse's brows knit together. Her patient's cheeks were flushed due to a high fever accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea. He was very sleepy, but not truly lethargic. She quickly decided what needed to be done. "Well, he seems to have a 24-hour bug. I think he's a little dehydrated too… Did I see you boys having a soccer game earlier?"

"Yeah, we were. Is he going to be all right?"

She nodded. "I'll get an IV started for him, since he doesn't seem to be able to keep anything down."

"He needs an IV?" Atticus asked, now a bit more worried.

Fonda had said it calmly, but reflected not for the first time that underneath Atticus's playboy exterior was a very concerned older brother. "It's just to get his fluid levels back up. It's all right, Atticus. It'll be just for tonight."

"Okay." Atticus relaxed visibly at this, but still sat like a sentinel watching over his younger friend.

The nurse had wisely brought an IV in her bag and quickly set it up. Aster barely registered the prick of the needle, the coolness of something entering his veins before he drifted back into blissful unconsciousness. "Atticus," Fonda whispered, reading the 20-year-old's body language, "you don't want to leave, do you?"

"No. I want to make sure he's all right." His tone was firm, as was his gaze.

"I was going to stay in here with him, or have one of the male teachers…"

"It's fine. I'll stay." Obviously, nothing short of the Campus Disciplinary Squad would move the eldest Rhodes brother.

Fonda nodded. "All right, but I will check on you both in the night, okay? Or one of the doctors will."

"All right."

* * *

Aster came to, hearing a soft hum. The sour taste of vomit had dissipated, so he must not have… But who was humming? "H-hello?" he called out groggily.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" Atticus asked from his seat next to the bed.

The younger boy managed to prop himself up a little with effort. His face was flushed and his blue eyes shone with the brilliance of fever. "Kinda wobbly…. We're in my room?"

"Yeah. And be careful, Fonda put an IV in you."

The silver-blonde remembered the pin-prick and now felt cooler, despite the warmth of the fever. "Why do I have it?"

"Fonda said you have a 24-hour bug and that you're a little dehydrated. So it's getting your fluids up," Atticus explained.

Aster considered that and nodded. "I don't remember much about getting here or getting in my pajamas… Did you do that?

"Yeah, I did."

"Thanks, man..." Aster heard and felt the distinct sound of his stomach rumbling.

"Hungry?" Atticus asked. To his own surprise, Aster nodded. "What would you like?"

"Something pretty tame." Truth to tell, he would like something a bit rich, but he knew his stomach would not handle his favorite filet mignon.

"Coming right up." Atticus went to the room's kitchenette and returned with a fresh bowl of oatmeal. It was the instant kind which Aster generally avoided but kept in his room in case of an emergency.

He took a sniff and smiled a little at the smell of cinnamon and brown sugar. "Um... what time is it?" he queried, noticing the twinkling stars through his skylight window.

"About eleven o'clock."

"Eleven? How long was I out?"

"About 45 minutes."

"I kind of remember Fonda coming in here..."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah... did she come in here?"

"Yeah, she did," Atticus said. "I'll be watching you all night to make sure you're okay."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," Atticus said, smiling.

"Thanks, Atticus." The older boy helped him eat, and when Aster had his fill, he snuggled down in bed again. "You're good at this."

"When you have a little sister to look after, you get plenty of experience," Atticus reflected.

"And you have Chazz too..." Aster got a thoughtful expression on his face. "Did you help him when he had the flu in the winter?"

"Yeah, I did." Atticus said, remembering that week. It had felt like a month given what Chazz had been sick with, but well worth it to make sure he was okay.

"Well… thanks for helping me too. I hope I don't get sick in the night…" Aster's eyes were closing. It was so warm in the bed... and so soft…

"Anything for a friend. I'll be here all night," Atticus murmured; Aster was already fast asleep. "Sleep well."

* * *

At the same time Aster was racing to worship at the altar of the porcelain god, Bastion Misawa lay in his bed in the infirmary, eyes wide with terror. He had just heard a blood-curdling shriek, followed by a shout of triumph with exclamations about killing something. 'I do hope she's all right,' he thought, regretting that he could not charge in and rescue his beloved from whatever menace had attacked her in the shower.

"Dang freaking spiders! That sneak attack was a low blow! You don't make your move while a woman's taking her shower!" Violet's loud ranting could be heard before she even opened the door, stepping back into Bastion's room. She was clothed in her favorite, pink Watapon tank top, matching pants, and fuzzy, pink slippers. Her plum-colored hair was still wet and clung to her shoulders, newly washed body radiating the scent of blackberries and cocoa.

"Violet? Are... are you all right? I heard you screaming!" Bastion stated, still worried.

Violet paused, blinking in surprise at Bastion's sudden exclamation. "Eh? What? Of course I'm all right. Aside from nearly having a heart attack."

He blinked, and then laughed a little bit. "Sorry, love, I heard you screaming bloody murder in there, but couldn't get up. So… What happened?"

She blushed, smiling sheepishly as she sat on the edge of his bed. "Well, I, uh... I was washing my hair. And I glance over to the side, only to see this HUGE FREAKING SPIDER hanging there! Like, one inch from my FACE! I mean, wouldn't anyone scream in that situation? Sneaky little jerk..." She flailed slightly, then crossed her arms over her chest, grumbling.

"A spider?" He remembered an incident in the Obelisk dorm not long after they had moved into the suite when someone's pet tarantula had escaped its cage. Violet had been the one to find it. Miraculously, she had not killed or maimed the thing, but ran shrieking into the living room stark naked when Jaden, Alexis, Syrus, Annie and he had been in there studying. Now... "Darling, how big was it?"

Violet moved her hands so that there were a few feet between them. "It was HUGE!"

"Oh you are so exaggerating," Mary interrupted, appearing with a smirk. Violet pouted and lowered the distance to a foot. "Nope," the red-eyed spirit stated.

Her tangible counterpart dropped it to about five inches, but she received the shake of a head. Violet sighed and held out her thumb, pointing to the pad. "This big."

"There ya go. Now was that so hard?" Mary smirked

"Oh shut it."

Had Bastion not been in his bed, he would have fallen over. "What did it look like?" he asked, voice quite indicating he was not sure whether to laugh or do something else. What that something else was, he was not sure of.

Violet pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. She was likely about to give an exaggerated, horrifying description of the eight-legged beast, but Mary interrupted again. "It was just a normal, black spider. There wasn't even anything especially freaky about it."

Violet told Bastion this and he sighed, chuckling. "So it wasn't like... Charlie?"

"Charlie..?" She blinked in confusion.

"Sally Aso's tarantula." Bastion had gotten to know the tarantula after the escape so he could capture it, if need be.

Violet grimaced, tensing at the memory. "Ew... No, not as bad as that awful thing, thank God! I wouldn't have been able to kill it myself!"

"So you did kill it?" The last time there had been a spider in the shower, she had insisted he kill it. Quite vocally.

She sighed. "Well, I knew you had to stay in bed, so I either had to kill it myself or deal with soapy hair. I just grabbed the sprayer and drowned the thing."

"Hmmm... Violet the Spider Slayer… I like the sound of that," he smiled as she climbed into bed with him.

She giggled, but made a face at the idea. "Nah... I'd never purposefully hunt spiders... eech."

"Oh, but you'd look so wicked wearing slinky black cargo pants and carrying a spider-destroying bazooka." He said this perfectly deadpan.

For a few moments, she could only stare at him. Then, she grinned and burst out laughing, holding her sides as she snuggled into him. "O-oh wow, Bastion, that..."

"And then if we could sell the idea to a cable show or an Internet channel, we could easily make a mint," he continued, still looking quite serious. "Just imagine it! 'Violet Haverbrook-Misawa, Spider Slayer!'"

By this point, she had her face buried in his chest as she laughed, tears of mirth springing to her eyes. "B-Bastion! G-God, stop, I can't breathe...!"

And now, he started laughing as well. "I'm sorry, Violet, I couldn't resist! I just had that image in my head!"

She sighed, taking deep breaths as she wiped the tears away. "Is that the stuff that always goes on in your head?"

Bastion had to wipe his face as well. "Oh, no... Most of the time, as you know, my thoughts are dreadfully boring. But when I'm with you, I am infected with random thoughts. It's invigorating..."

Violet grinned mischievously, wrapping her arms around him. "Oh, they can't be that boring, Bastion-baby! Though I'm glad I rub off on you so much!"

"Well…. My thoughts have become far more interesting since we met," he said, kissing her softly. She hummed, pressing back to deepen the kiss as she pushed against his body with her own. Bastion put his arms around her lovingly and deepened the kiss slowly. It had been a long time since they had been somewhat alone. Vying for a better position, Violet rolled so that she was straddling him, though she kept her body an inch or so above his own so as not to weigh it down. He was still recovering, after all.

He rubbed her back over the cloth of her top, opening his lips to her. She clutched at his shoulder, green eyes slipping closed as she drew in a deep breath through her nose. She let her tongue slip inside the now open mouth, poking and prodding at his own while simultaneously curling her fingers into his dark hair. They enjoyed the quiet, gentle moment, but then Bastion abruptly broke the kiss, suddenly needing air. "S-sorry," he panted, regaining his breath.

Violet smiled, sliding her hand down from his hair to rest on his cheek. "It's okay. You're still recovering."

"Could we snuggle a bit?" he requested, a bit frustrated that he could not give her more.

She grinned, rolling back to his side but keeping her arms around him. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Good… Then we shall."

Unbeknownst to the couple, Hiro and Katai Misawa had come back from a quiet, late dinner together in one of the classrooms in time to hear the last of the younger couple's exchange. "He's on the mend, Hiro," Katai whispered to her husband as they crept back to their private cubicle.

"He is, Katai," Hiro whispered back with a soft smile. "He'll be up and about soon. And then we can watch his future unfold. And perhaps the next time the group has a cookout, he and Violet can join them. Not the same as when we went camping that last summer before he started here, but it'll still be fun."

"Yeah. It'll never be like it was, Hiro. But someday, it'll be us, Bastion, Violet and their family around the campfire."

"Remember the time he rigged up the multiple roasting stick?" Hiro laughed. "He cooked our dinner and then made so much dessert!"

"Yeah, we had so many s'mores and so much roasted fruit. He ate himself sick… 'Mummy, remind me never to do that again. I know s'mores are unhealthy,'" Katai laughed. At the time, it had not been remotely funny that her seven-year-old son had overeaten and had serious gastric complaints. In retrospect, however, the memory was strangely precious. "Well, shall we get into bed?" she asked after a little more reminiscing.

"Yes, love. We cannot be sleep-deprived in the next few days. Scout will be rather peeved at us both, and you haven't been on the receiving end of one of her lectures in the ER!"

* * *

As Atticus stood guard over Aster Phoenix, Atticus's little brother padded around the Obelisk dorm. Tonight, Chazz had planned to have a sleepover with his brother, but Atticus had just called to let him know it was not going to happen. "Bro, are you sure you can't come back tonight?" Chazz had asked.

"Yeah. I'm sure, Chazz," Atticus had soothed. "I have to make sure Aster is okay, but we can do it tomorrow night."

"Okay," Chazz found himself saying. 'Great, just great,_'_ he thought after hanging up, a frown forming on his face. Then another thought came to him. 'Why am I acting like this? I'm eighteen and I should be okay to deal with minor crap like this.' He shook himself and decided to go for a little walk. His slipper-encased feet made soft thumps that echoed around the nearly empty dormitory. So intent was he on his aimless course that the youngest Rhodes did not see a large, feminine figure until he bumped into her. "Uff! Mom?"

"Honey, it's almost midnight. What are you doing up?" Scout asked. She had just come in from taking a walk after dinner. Chazz told her quickly what had happened. "….so he's taking care of Aster?" she asked.

"Yeah, but... I don't know," he stated, frowning. His stomach twisted and his mind whirled.

"Well... why don't we go check on him?" she suggested, brown eyes soft. Her mother's intuition told her that something was definitely up with her youngest child.

"Okay..."

Together, they headed down to Aster's bedroom. "Atticus?" Scout called softly, having knocked softly at the door.

Inside the room, Atticus's eyes were drooping and his head was lolling down to his chest. But at the knock, his head flew up. "Who is it?" he called back only loud enough to be heard.

"It's Mom and Chazz," she called back. "May we come in?"

"It's unlocked," was the response.

Together, Scout and Chazz tiptoed into the room. "Hi, sweetie," the mother greeted her eldest child gently.

"Hi, Mom," Atticus murmured from his post. Chazz impulsively moved to hug his brother and the elder Rhodes hugged back, somehow understanding.

"How's he doing?" Scout asked, automatically checking the sleeping silver-blonde boy. Atticus told her what Fonda had told him and how Aster had been peaceful since falling asleep about an hour before. "He'll be all right," the pediatric surgeon smiled when she concluded her brief examination.

"That's good," Atticus breathed, relieved.

"Darla mentioned how lonely he was last summer. I've noticed how it is with him too. When he's with you kids, it's like he's somewhere else some of the time."

"Yeah, it's been hard on him since he hasn't really had family around," Atticus said, "But now he has all of us to be there for him."

"And… it's nice to understand him," Chazz observed, almost to himself. The young man who had once pulled away from everyone to protect himself had seen something of himself in Aster Phoenix.

"Yeah. Hard to believe he's had to go through so much just by looking at him," Atticus said.

Scout remembered and nodded. "Atticus, would you mind a little company, sweetheart?"

"You sure, Mom?" Atticus asked. He could see shadows under her eyes, testament to the hours she had been spending in the infirmary helping out. Though the danger had passed, she still stayed on, keeping the other doctors and Fonda from exhausting themselves. "I wouldn't mind you guys being here if you want to be, but I don't want you getting worn out to help me.…"

"Atty, it's all right. Let us help you."

"Yeah, bro. Heck, you've helped me," Chazz asserted as he noticed his brother was still clad in his shorts and Hawaiian shirt. "Atticus, do you want your pajamas?"

"Sure. I probably won't sleep, but I don't want to sit in this all night," the older brother laughed.

"Okay..." Chazz raced down the hall and out to his dorm where Atticus had been keeping him company.

Meanwhile, Scout did not hide a prideful smile from her son. "Atty... My big, strong, young man. I am so proud of you right now."

"Aw, mom, it's no big deal," Atticus said with his trademark, sheepish grin.

"Honey, it's just..." With tears of joy in her eyes, she pulled him into a tight hug, which he returned. When he had returned two years before, his mother had hugged him for no other reason than that he was home and safe. He had learned to accept those sudden hugs. It took a moment for the mother of three to compose herself and what she said next confirmed his suspicions as to why she hugged him. "I got you back… I know I said it two years ago when you came home, but... It was like you were back from the dead…"

He smiled softly as he hugged a bit tighter. He remembered those dark days as he had returned to himself in the infirmary. He remembered his sister's voice guiding him back from that dark place he had been. And then the sight of her and her fighting spirit had given him strength to live again. He remembered his mother and father overjoyed the night he had called them, reassuring them this was not a joke and he was coming home.

Scout finally pulled back. "I'm sorry, sweetie… There are still days I think about the possibility that I might not have seen you become the man I see in front of me..."

"Well, you did."

Chazz returned a moment later, and Atticus got his pajamas on. "Honey, I can stay up," their mother offered.

"You sure, Mom?" Atticus asked.

"If you need to sleep, Atty…"

"I'm fine, really," Atticus said around a yawn. His brother was already making a bed on the floor.

"Sweetie... Why don't you take a rest with your brother? I'll be all right. And I can wake you if you're needed," Scout suggested.

"Okay." Atticus conceded the point reluctantly but made a bed next to his brother. Scout settled down at the bedside and then began to sing softly. It was an old Beach Boys song that she had sung when Atticus and Alexis were very little. Chazz had never heard the song as a lullaby, but his mother's soothing tones made it one. Almost unconsciously, he reached out and took his brother's hand. Atticus squeezed back as both boys slowly drifted off to sleep. The two had not slept like this as small children, and yet it felt as natural to them as if it had always been. Their mother sat in the soft chair next to the big bed, on duty for all three boys in her care.

* * *

As the night wore on, the bulk of the small band at Duel Academy Central slept. However, in one room in the boys' dorm wing, a tall figure with dark hair tossed and turned. He sat up, hair tousled, and decided to get up and see what walking might do. Zane Truesdale had a lot on his mind this night. Jackie's image was foremost in his mind along with the accompanying hopes and fears for the future. And he thought of his brother, a man despite his outward appearance. He thought of his friends and all they had fought for and won in the past three years. What would the future hold for all of them, he wondered as his feet padded against the carpet.

He wandered down the hall past a room that had a new sign on it: "Yusuke's Room: The Awesome Helper is BACK!" 'Atticus… how did you talk Yusuke into putting that up?'Zane wondered, a wry smile coming to his lips. Yusuke would never put up that sort of sign himself. 'Or did Atticus put that up without you knowing?' That also was a possibility, Zane mused, as Atticus had tried to get him to wear a Hawaiian shirt in their first year. That had not gone well. Yet now, the dark-haired, young man smiled and shook his head as he passed Atticus's room on the way over to the girls' dorms.

He headed down the hall and smelled some unidentifiable sweet fragrance, likely the remnant of some girl's spilled perfume bottle. He opened the door that was typically accessible by password or teacher request during the school year and crossed into the girls' dorm. The odor became stronger as he passed one door, but it quickly faded as he moved away. He passed another room and he drew closer to his destination. A combination of pleasant smells hit his nostrils; that of flowers, cookies, sandalwood and spice. He had arrived at his brother's residence.

The white door, freshly painted, was left ajar. Someone had left the door open to keep the air circulating on the warm day. Without hesitating, the tall Truesdale tiptoed into the suite. As usual, the sitting area and kitchenette was neat as a pin. Stealthily, he tiptoed back to the room that held his younger brother and future sister-in-law. Their bedroom door was also open and Zane peeked in on them. Syrus was wrapped around his fiancée and they looked like two children napping after playtime. However, the blue spaghetti straps on Annie's shoulders belied the image as the couple lay illuminated in the moonlight.

Zane turned to leave the room, but then Syrus stirred and sat up, eyes wide open. Zane froze, hoping it was one of those times his little brother said some sort of nonsense and fell back to sleep. But instead, the blue-head rubbed his eyes and reached for his glasses, careful not to jostle his love awake. "Zane? What are you doing in here?" he whispered.

"I was just checking on you," the older Truesdale whispered back as his brother slipped out of bed. "I couldn't sleep so I took a walk and checked on you two. Is she feeling better?"

"Yeah. Fonda gave her some pills. She's been asleep for a while," Syrus answered as they padded into the living room. "She'll probably be okay in the morning…"

The older boy breathed a relieved sigh. "Good... Just keep her from beating herself up, will you, Sy?"

"Got it, Zane." And then Syrus noticed his brother's eyes. "Bro.… is something wrong? You usually don't have trouble sleeping…"

Zane sighed again, wishing that his brother was, for a moment, the timid boy he had been. It was not because Zane wanted his brother to be that way again, but because Syrus at least would not have pressed for information. So, he sighed and admitted, "Sy, I've got a lot on my mind..."

"Want to talk about it? Zane, you don't have to keep it to yourself," Syrus pointed out.

"It's just... Sy... I'm worried," Zane admitted, a nervous tremor in his voice.

"About Jackie?"

They sat down on the couch together and Zane nodded. "Yeah, I'm worried about her… Our baby… Sy, I worry about providing for them."

"I'm sure you'll be a great father." Syrus put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "And I know you'll be a good provider. And besides, Jackie'll have a job after the baby's old enough, right?" Zane nodded; Jackie was a brilliant artist. "So you'll both provide for my niece or nephew."

"Don't you wonder how you'll be?" the older Truesdale countered softly.

"Zane, I'm not going to be a perfect dad, but I am going to be a good one."

It was a rare moment when the two young men were in a reversal of roles. Zane doubted himself and Sy was the strong one again. "How do you know?"

"I learned from Dad," Syrus answered confidently.

"Good..." They talked for a few minutes more and then Zane realized something else. He was actually getting tired. "Thanks, Sy, for talking me through this. I think I need to get back to bed."

"No problem, big bro. I'd better get back to Annie," Syrus said, standing.

"Okay. Call me if you need me."

"I will. You too," Syrus said. He saw his brother to the suite door and tiptoed back to bed. Annie had remained in position and so it was easy for him to slip back into her arms. He drifted back to sleep easily. Meanwhile, Zane paced back down the hall, past the room with the sweet-smelling perfume. He went back past Atticus's room and past Yusuke's and finally made it to his own room. He surprised himself by falling asleep almost immediately.

_We hope you enjoyed this latest chapter, everyone. We thank all of you for continuing to read and review! We're not going anywhere and we will finish this series for all of you who have loved it from the beginning! Thank you so much and see you next time!_


	65. Running on Sunshine

Chapter LXV: Running on Sunshine

_**Peach again drags herself up from the depths…**__ Hello again, dear fans of this alternate universe. I again apologize for the delay; this was not Lobo's fault, but it was mine. Between life, stress and everything else, it's been hard to edit and even write lately. But there are bigger things in the world right now than my emotional temblors. I believe most of you have heard of and seen the disaster in Japan by now. Do what you can to help, even if it's donating pocket change or praying and sending good thoughts. It's going to take years for Japan to recover from this, so please help in whatever way you can. And if you can, text Red Cross to 90999 in order to donate ten dollars to the Red Cross Japanese relief efforts. _

_**Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Darkness Falls…**__ Most of the gang played a rousing game of soccer, and then had an outdoor cookout. Aster Phoenix got hit with a twenty-four hour flu bug, the Rhodes brothers and their mother had some family time, and Zane and Syrus had a heart-to-heart talk. What will the next hours bring for the gang? Stay tuned!_

_**Legal information:**__ Please check the previous stories and chapters as to what we do and don't own. Furthermore, we don't own Mod-Podge or the company that makes it. Peach just occasionally buys it and uses it for projects. Basically, if someone else owns it, we definitely don't. We might buy the product, but we don't own it. We just own our OCs, this  
AU and anything that's not the property of any corporation or anyone else. Also, we gratefully acknowledge __**Grey's Anatomy's **__recent music event, "Song Beneath the Song" for giving us our chapter title which comes from Jesus Jackson's song of the same name. We thank Wikipedia and other Internet sources for information on Greek mythology, Disney movies and Spanish breakfast cuisine._

_**Warning:**__ This chapter contains references to different sorts of intimacy, but nothing that goes beyond the bounds of . Also, there is deliberate breaking of the fourth wall. Thank you for your attention._

As Zane drifted off to sleep, a calm quiet blanketed Academy Island. In the infirmary, Hiro and Katai Misawa cuddled close on a set of twin beds pushed together. Dr. Alex Nakamura, meanwhile, quietly paced into the ICU unit and checked his two patients. Bastion breathed a lot easier now and Violet slept beside him with a soft smile on her face.

Down at Ra Yellow, Blair Flannigan snuggled down in her soft bed, stomach cramping slightly. She couldn't figure out why, but she felt... fuzzy, for lack of a better word. In the room next to hers, Marcel Bonaparte stretched out in his warm bed as his father slept on a rollaway bed. In yet another room, Belowski dozed, dreaming of running after his duel spirit friends. His future father slept down the hall.

In Slifer Red, Jaden slept curved around Alexis's lithe form. "Neos... take out Lex's Cyber Angel Benten," he muttered.

"I activate... Hallowed Life Barrier," Alexis muttered in turn.

"Can't use it... Jinzo's on the field," he groaned.

"Dang," she muttered.

Back up at Obelisk, Mindy and Jasmine dreamt of their future careers and the young men in their lives. And on the first floor of the women's dorms, in a room that smelled of cinnamon, Rosa Jimenez curled up next to her beloved. "Tyson," she murmured in Spanish, "are there any other foods you like to cook on a stick besides hot dogs and marshmallows?"

Tyson thought about some of the cookouts he'd had with his parents, remembering the smell of the campfire smoke and the food. "Oh, I like cookin' sausage, bacon, meatballs… Pretty much anything I can get on a stick, Spanish Rose."

"That sounds delicious. Perhaps we could make kebabs, too... I know a Basque recipe that is very spicy," Rosa suggested with a dreamy smile.

"Oh, yeah, ain't that the one your mama made when we were in Calientara?" he said. When she nodded, he smiled. "I'd love to taste your version, darlin'."

"Where will we live? I doubt we can afford a house right away…"

"Well, I've been lookin', and on the base pay in the Pros, we can start with an apartment. Then when we've both made a little more, we can get a house. We'll just put a little away each month," he answered. "I wish we could get a house, but it's too much money…"

"Domino is rather expensive," she sighed and then smiled. "But if you want to be in the Pro League, then we need to live there or close to it. And besides, we will be close to our friends."

"Yeah," he agreed. "We'll do okay with our friends around us, even if we ain't close to our families. We'll support each other like we always have, but we've got to get Private Bastion back on his feet and get all of us down the aisle."

"We will," she murmured, breathing in his scent. Her eyelids were, it seemed, being suddenly weighed down with lead. "Ty-Ty, I am so very tired…"

"Let's get some sleep, Spanish Rose," he said, gently kissing her. They snuggled into each other's arms and then fell into sleep's embrace.

In another part of the dorm, Jesse Anderson sat at his laptop and checked his contacts list, confirming that his webcam was working. _Tarnation, Icy Will, I hope you ain't mad at me for keepin' you waitin'! _And then he saw the name on his contacts list he was waiting for. SapphirePegasusGRRRL was on.

"Hey, Icy Will," he sent. Her avatar, a cleverly drawn Sapphire Pegasus with a curling broom in its teeth, smirked at him. "How are you? Sorry I haven't been on…"

Back in Nova Scotia, Willow brushed her dark hair away from her face. She yawned, eyes getting heavy. But the familiar buzz of the chat window awakened her. "Jesse," she typed back to GemBeast17, "I was wondering when you would get on. It's almost four AM! And midnight for you!" His avatar of a Ruby Carbuncle card made her smile.

"Sorry, Willow. Things have been a little crazy," he typed. "How ya doing?"

"I've missed you since your graduation, Fiery Jess... How's Bastion? Was he able to face the darkness?" she asked, adding a concerned looking emoticon.

"Yup. He faced it, and now he's getting better. I've missed you too, Icy Will, and I can't wait to see you again," he typed, adding an eager looking emote.

"Why not now?" She tapped the webcam icon with a smile on her face. She might be close to falling asleep, but she would let him see her.

Jesse gladly clicked "View SapphirePegasusGRRRL's Webcam" and grinned when her image coalesced. "You're beautiful as ever," he typed.

She gave him a soft Mona Lisa smile and then typed back, "May I see you now?"

"You may." With a flourish, he clicked on the "Invite to View My Webcam" button. _Does my hair look all right? I'd hate it if she saw me with bed-head._ He ran his fingers through his hair and eagerly awaited her acceptance.

Willow hit the accept button, and his image came on the screen. The bright green eyes, the familiar teal hair and of course, his joyous and mischievous smile; her cheeks warmed and her smile broadened as she typed, "I really missed seeing you smile."

"I missed your gorgeous smile too," he typed, his smile widening ever so slightly.

"Think when you get home, your mom can make us dumplings?"

"Oh yeah. Definitely. Mama'll be happier than a cat in a cage full of canaries!" Sue would fuss over him and Willow, he knew all too well.

"All right then, Jess, we have a deal," she grinned, typing furiously. "Let me know when you're closer to the wedding date."

"Will do," he typed, returning the grin. But his grin became a frown as she nodded, chin resting on her hand and her eyes drifted closed. "You getting sleepy?" But she sat motionless. "Guess so," he said softly. He tapped the icon on his instant messenger, sending her a buzzing signal. He could just leave without saying good night, but she couldn't sleep at her desk like that.

Willow heard the buzzing sound and opened her eyes. "Oh! Jesse, I'm sorry!" she typed, embarrassed.

"You're getting sleepy." His expression was contrite as he mentally resolved to contact her before midnight, her time.

She typed back, "Well, it is late here... Good thing I can sleep in..."

"Get some shuteye," he wrote with a very tender look on his face.

She smiled and typed back, "You too, Fiery Jess..."

"Will do, Icy Will." The couple signed off for the evening. Willow, exhausted, climbed into her warm bed, listening to the waves crashing onto the distant Nova Scotia shore before she fell asleep. And Jesse lay awake for an hour, hearing the splashes of the lake outside his window.

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

While nearly everyone else slept on the island, three figures made their way out of the Obelisk dorm. One figure wore well-defined braided hair, while the taller figure wore a cowboy hat. The third figure was on all fours, close to the ground, large tail swishing.

"Lovely stargazing weather, eh, mate?" Jim asked his human companion.

"Yeah," Axel answered softly as Shirley opened her jaws eagerly to the buzzing of insects. Sure, she might like to hunt a bit more, but maybe these bugs would sate her hunger until she could. "I think Shirley'll want to get a snack while we're out, Jim."

"You hungry, girl?" Jim asked the crocodile. Shirley gazed up at him with what could best be described as a hungry gaze. "Go on and hunt, then. We'll be here." The tracker patted her scaly skin, smiling. Shirley seemed to nod and padded on ahead of the young men, toward a place where she knew rats and other wild critters roamed.

Axel smiled in the darkness. "Jim, I think you just made her very happy."

"Yeah, she loves hunting. And who am I to deny her that?" Jim asked, smiling as well.

"Yeah... So where should we go?"

"Right here's as good a spot as any," Jim said, lying down on the grass. "Nice to finally have some peace and quiet after everything that's happened. Can you believe it's taken me this long to break my habit of checking my eye for infection?"

Axel nodded as they lay down away from the school lights. "It takes a while to get away from some rituals..." Unbidden, his brother's room came into his mind.

"That it does, Axel," Jim said, glancing at his friend, catching a faraway expression he knew all too well. "Thinking about your brother?"

"Yeah... Took weeks for me not to go in his room just to stare at his stuff, wondering how long it'd take before he came back... Asher was too young... Dad was too..."

"Yeah. At least they died serving their country and protecting the people they loved," Jim said gently. It was lame to say, he thought, but what else could he say, really?

Lame or not, Axel nodded, his lips pursing a little. He'd long since passed the phase of needing to cry, but what Jim said touched him. "Yeah... they did..." And then they looked up at the stars.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Jim asked.

"Yeah... Great..." Axel remembered the first camping trip his father had taken him on. His father had pointed out the Big Dipper and Little Dipper to him, and the much younger Axel had learned how thousands of people had used the former constellation to find their way to freedom. He told Jim of this and added, "Dad used it once on a mission before Asher was born to find his way back to his platoon."

"Did you hear the Greek myth about Ursa Major and Ursa Minor?" Jim asked, pointing at the respective constellations.

Axel nodded thoughtfully. "It's been a while since I've heard it... Go ahead and tell it…"

"Zeus fell for a woman named Callisto, one of the Hunters of Artemis. Hera, as you can imagine, wasn't too happy about that, so she turned Callisto into a bear. After a while, Callisto met her son Arcas. He thought she was attacking him, and tried to shoot her, but Zeus stopped it by turning them into constellations, those constellations were Ursa Major and Ursa Minor," Jim said.

"I remember reading about that in class. Sad story. And Hera wouldn't leave them alone even then."

"Nope. She had Poseidon keep them away from the sea," Jim said, looking at the constellations, "A bit cruel if you ask me, but she was a jealous wife."

"Yeah... Disney changed that in **Hercules**, remember?" Axel chuckled. "I heard it was because they were bored with the wicked stepmother angle."

"That did get boring after awhile."

"Yeah..." The young men then talked of nothing else of major importance and as they talked, a very contented crocodile returned to curl at Jim's feet.

"You get your fill, Shirley?" Jim asked, sitting up to pat the croc's head. Shirley growled gently in response. She had. "Glad to hear it, girl." The Australian boy stretched back out on the grass. Together, the humans and the crocodile watched as the stars wheeled in the sky. But at four AM, they finally headed inside.

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Though the weather had been nice all day and into the night, as Jim, Axel and Shirley returned to the dorms, a storm blew in from the north. When everyone woke up in the morning, rain was pouring down in buckets, the wind causing the rain to move sideways. At Slifer Red, Jaden opened his eyes and saw the lack of sunlight through the window. "Oh great," he muttered. "So much for dueling out near the woods…"

"What is it, Jaden?" Alexis lifted her head slightly, her eyes still blurry and her blonde hair sticking out all over.

"Lex... the weather," he groaned softly.

It was then that she heard the drumbeats of rain on the roof. "Well, I guess the good weather couldn't last forever."

It was also cool outside and something of the chill came through to the couple. "Well, let's just snuggle down and enjoy listening to it," he suggested.

That surprised her. "Who are you and what have you done with Jaden?"

"I like rainy days," he answered as they cuddled close. "When I got home from the hospital when I was little, I'd cuddle with Mom in her room, listening to the rain hitting our roof. I couldn't hear it when I was in the kids' psych ward. It made me feel good to hear it. I don't know why, but when we listened to the rain, I just relaxed."

"That's good," she said, resting her head on his chest. "Too bad we didn't have rain when your PTSD resurfaced."

"Yeah. But when I was little before the hospital, not even the rain could calm me down."

"What could?"

"That's the thing... Mom and Dad couldn't do anything. All they could do was hold me until I cried myself to sleep..."

"Oh," she said, tightening her hold on him.

"But it didn't happen all at once. Remember how I said I couldn't hear duel spirits after those treatments?"

"Yeah. What happened after that?" She felt him shudder against her, the past memories almost coming through to her.

"I was so lonely and... I couldn't help Yubel and I couldn't even hear her anymore." His voice shook slightly. "For a few nights, I cried myself to sleep, and then Mom came home from a chemo treatment one afternoon and it was rainy. She was sleepy and I wanted to make her feel better. So I went into her room and cuddled with her."

"And the rain calmed you down?" She sat up slightly to look in his eyes.

"Yeah. That first time, I sat with her. The next thing I remembered was Dad shaking me awake. They were so happy."

"They'd found something that could calm you down," she smiled. It wasn't hard to picture little Jaden snuggling against his mother, the warmth of her arms around him. She'd done the same with her mother enough times to know how that felt.

"Yeah. The thing is when I got back to school, the kids kept teasing me; I was still a freak…" He shivered against her warm body, hearing the taunts and rage of the past. "I couldn't stand them teasing me. I'd thought about it before when Yubel couldn't stop screaming and how it was my fault for sending her up there. And then one day in the lunchroom…" His eyes squeezed shut. "It was rainy that day when they wouldn't let up…" He could see the pill bottle in his mind's eye and his small hand reaching out to take the pills.

She hugged him even tighter, heart aching for him. "Oh, Jaden."

He hugged back, seeking comfort in her physical form. "Good thing Dad found me when he did…"

"Yeah," she agreed, kissing him to give him solace. He joined it fully, the two of them soon losing themselves in the newfound physical part of their relationship. About an hour or so later, they cleaned up. "I think… you're getting the hang of it, Jay," Alexis stated as they headed out of the shower. He had been very eager to learn what made her feel pleased and though he hadn't been perfect, he'd at least lasted longer. "You did a lot better that time."

"Thanks, Lex. I want to learn to make you happy when we're…"

"Yeah, I know."

They finished their morning ablutions and headed up to Obelisk in the pouring rain. "Good thing you don't worry too much about your hair," he commented over the wind.

"Yeah," she shouted back, laughing. "And I worry about mud even less!" Her boots squished in the muck that had formed on the path. "I used to play soccer in worse than this!"

Jaden started to laugh at that as his own hair whipped in the wind. Breakfast would be wonderful after this hike.

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

In the infirmary, Violet awoke to the patter of rain on the roof. She smiled in anticipation, and then frowned deeply as she heard the howl of the wind. "Aw, dang it..."

"What is it, darling?" Bastion asked, opening his blurry eyes.

"I wanted to go dancing in the rain with you, but it's windy too," she pouted.

Bastion pulled himself into a sitting position, hearing the wind howl and the rain beat down upon the roof. "Sounds like a rather nasty storm, love. It's probably best if we don't dance around in the rain. You'd catch a cold if you did that again. Don't you remember the one you got last summer?"

"You got one too, but it was worth it, right?" she countered, grinning.

"I suppose, but I'd rather not catch another one," he answered.

"Where's my wild Bastion-baby?" she asked mock-seriously. She was antsy even though the infirmary was where she had wanted to be.

"I'm not that wild yet, Violet love," he sighed. For a moment, it was as if the past few weeks hadn't happened. It was as if it was last summer when they had no cares for a time. Granted, they'd ended up in the hospital, but they had still been a bit wild.

"You've been pretty wild, though," she reminded him, mussing his hair which somehow went back into place.

"True," he said, flushing a bit, embarrassed that she had outwitted him.

"Well... let's just listen to the rain instead," she suggested, snuggling down.

"Yes," he agreed as he felt her warm form against him. The rain pattered down and they closed their eyes to listen.

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

As two couples awoke in Slifer Red and Obelisk Blue, a brown-eyed woman combed sets of silver bangs, raven bangs and dark brown bangs with her hand. Two sets of bangs belonged to her children, while one belonged to a young man she had mentally adopted. The woman smiled; the silver-haired boy had no sweat on his face and was sleeping very peacefully. And then the brown-haired young man stirred.

"What time is it?" Atticus asked, rubbing his face as he sat up.

"Morning, Atty," Scout Rhodes murmured quietly. "It's about 8:30..."

"Then where's the sun?" The lack of sunlight, coupled with the driving rain told him. "Never mind."

"It started to rain about 3 AM," she explained softly.

"Oh. Guess we stay indoors today… I really wanted to go surfing, though…"

"Yeah... Aster's fever is down. I won't let him out of bed much today," Scout explained, seeing the question on her eldest son's face.

"So he'll be okay?"

"He just needs the rest... Honey, you can go back to sleep if you'd like…"

"I'm wide awake, Mom; I don't think I'll go back to sleep," he answered.

"Okay. We'll let Chazz and Aster sleep a little more..." Chazz was curled up on his pallet bed on the floor. In the weak light of the room, the skin underneath his eyes contrasted strongly with his pale face. "He's been up too late…" She glided over to Aster's side of the bed, tucking his blankets around him. "Aster's been through so much; and to get through it without someone to guide him…"

"Yeah. It's hard to imagine what it was like for him," Atticus said, frowning.

"Somehow, they both made it through... Are you getting hungry, sweetie?" Scout asked, moving away from the sleeping boys.

As if on cue, Atticus's stomach growled, "Sounds like it," he said, grinning sheepishly.

"Okay, Atty..." Scout walked over to the small kitchenette to find some breakfast.

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Down on the first floor, Rosadina Jimenez cuddled close to the young man she loved. She was sleeping deeply and inhaled his warm, spicy scent. Tyson held her close, a smile adorning his face. His dreams were happy ones, involving the young woman he held so tenderly.

It was then that her chocolate brown eyes opened. "Mmmm..."

He however, remained asleep, muttering about the various things in his dream. "You're the world's most beautiful woman, Spanish Rose."

"Ty-Ty, you're dreaming," she murmured with a smile.

His eyes flew open. "I'm dreamin'?" he asked, blinking the sleep away.

"Yes, Ty-Ty, but now you are awake."

"Even better than the dream," he said, gently kissing her.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked him, kissing back.

"Yup," he answered. His lips found hers again and felt the smooth fabric of her nightgown as his hands glided up her back.

"Ty-Ty... let's get up and go to breakfast," she reminded him, breaking the kiss. Their make-out session last night had gotten a little intense.

"Yeah, let's get some grub," he agreed. They got out of bed and headed into their kitchenette. Together, they fixed torrijas, the Spanish version of French toast and some freshly squeezed orange juice.

"I'm not sure I got this quite as well as Mama does," Rosa sighed as she examined the sweet fried bread, perhaps a little too done, was now coated with cinnamon and sugar and drizzled with honey. "But I will get this! You squeeze the orange juice well," she smiled as he used the hand juicer.

"Thanks, Spanish Rose," he answered, pouring the juice into their glasses. The couple then sat down for breakfast, eating with good appetites.

Afterward, Rosa smiled as she got dressed. "Ty-Ty, you cannot go jogging this morning. Why don't we go up to the main hall and dance?"

"What dance do you want to do, Spanish Rose?" he asked eagerly. He'd missed the dancing and to do it again sounded a heck of a lot better than jogging.

"How about the paso doble again? We haven't practiced it in weeks."

"Sounds good, and that's one of my favorites."

Accordingly, they headed out to the main hall, now empty and began their practice. The months of practice had made the formerly rough Texas boy into a man of both strength and grace. He followed his love's movements with his own, and she moved with balance and skill. In dance as in battle, they were one. When they finished, she blushed slightly. "You have become a master, mi amor," she concluded in her native tongue.

"All because of you, Spanish Rose," he murmured back.

"And your hard work." She gently brushed his cheek with her soft hand.

His rough, swarthy hand brushed her cheek. "And we can't forget your patience."

"And... your courage," she murmured, kissing him on the lips. He kissed back, putting his free hand on her waist. Rosa placed her arms around him, melting into the kiss. The rain pounded down on the windows looking out on the lake, matching the storm in the couple's hearts. He deepened the kiss, the hand on her waist starting to wander. "Ty-ty, we must... stay in control," she murmured.

"Sorry, Spanish Rose," he said, a bit red from the dancing and something else.

"It... it is all right," she murmured. "Let's... take a rest..."

"Yeah," he agreed before they returned to their room.

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Up a few floors in Obelisk, Annie Hanson awoke to the feel of cool air on her nearly bare shoulders. Her eyes flew open. Syrus was still asleep, cuddled up next her. _What happened last night?_ she wondered, mind still fuzzy from the sedative. She managed to roll over in the bed to the edge... and rolled off.

The thud caused Syrus to shoot up from his pillow, heart pounding and wondering what horrid thing was befalling the academy now. Then he realized his fiancée had only fallen out of bed. "Annie, are you okay?"

"Sy..." Her mouth was dry and the world was spinning. He quickly hopped out of bed and raced to her side. She pushed at the ground, only to fall back to the floor. "What… happened last night?"

"You had the sleeping pills, remember? You've been asleep for a long time," he said, trying to help her up. "You're really wobbly."

She tried to get to her feet, leaning on his shoulder, only to sink back to the ground. "C-carry me..."

In one somewhat fluid motion, he scooped her up into his arms. It still amazed him on some level that he'd gotten strong enough to carry her. It was now quite a simple thing to lift her back into the bed, check her over and make her comfortable. "How do you feel?" he asked, getting the blanket over her.

"I'm… thirsty."

"Okay, I'll be right back." He trotted to the kitchenette and filled a glass, returning to her quickly. He propped her up and handed her the chilly glass. "There you are."

"Thank you…" She sipped gratefully, feeling the cool liquid swirl on her tongue and go down her throat. "That sleep stuff really hit me," she said finally.

"Yeah. You slept really well. You didn't even cry out," he answered, sitting down next to her. "Are you feeling better?"

She was about to answer when she flushed, ashamed. "Honey... I was so mean to you..."

"Annie, it's all right," he murmured, pulling her into a tight hug. But she wasn't willing to forgive herself so easily.

"I shouldn't get a free pass for what I did... I mean... If you did that to me, people would be screaming, 'He's an abuser,' right?"

"Yeah, probably," he said. "But you weren't yourself."

"I know you wouldn't, but all we girls ever hear is, 'If he hits you once, leave.' Why is it different for girls if they hit or try to hit?" Inside, she was quaking. 'He has every right to leave me... And I'd deserve it,' her inner voice moaned.

"Annie, I don't know, but I do know I will never leave you, or even think of leaving you. I love you too much and I'd try to work things out," he answered, cupping her chin and meeting her eyes.

"I... oh, Syrus!" She hugged him as tightly as he had hugged her, crying softly. "Forgive me…"

He held on, rubbing circles on her back. "It's okay, Annie. You're okay…" Impulsively, she placed her lips on his, bringing apology and passion into the kiss. He met her fire with his own and as they had so many times, they tenderly and passionately explored. The touch of wet silkiness and silk over hardness was amazing, yet familiar. Finally, after nearly an hour, they collapsed into each other's arms. Though they had not gone as far as they had in the dreamscape nearly a year before, they had certainly come close.

"Are you okay?" he asked afterward.

"Y-yeah... That... Did you enjoy yourself too that time?"

"Yeah. Did you?" he asked, blushing.

"That was... really big," she answered, pulling apart from him. "That was as close to the real deal as we're probably going to get..."

"For now," he answered, kissing her cheek.

A soft rumble caught their attention. "Sy... I think I'm a little hungry," Annie admitted, slightly embarrassed.

His stomach rumbled as well. "I guess I am too," he answered with a sheepish grin. "Let's clean up and get our breakfast."

"We're going to have a lot of stuff to wash," Annie sighed as she pulled the sheets off the bed after they'd showered and dressed. The dampness she felt on the cloth reminded her of just how much fun they'd had.

"Yeah, but… um… maybe it's worth it," Syrus murmured, feeling the heat come to his cheeks.

"Yeah... I do admit that I miss the laundry service," she chuckled slightly. "Well... maybe not when this is involved," she amended.

"Yeah, that would probably take some explaining," he agreed.

"Then again, maybe not. Remember when we did laundry duty?"

"Yeah. I guess maybe we wouldn't have to explain." Both of them now resembled tomatoes with hair.

"I do want to try that again," she murmured. "It felt really good…"

"Yeah, it did feel great," he said, "M-Maybe next time, we could try it somewhere else i-in the suite?"

Annie couldn't help but smile. "All right... Hey, maybe the rest of the gang will want to do something. Let's get some puzzles!"

Syrus nodded eagerly. "Yeah! I don't think anyone's going to want to go outside today." And then they headed down to the common room with a couple of puzzles in a bag.

"Hey, guys!" Jaden greeted cheerfully from his chair in the common room. He could tell something was up, but decided not to draw attention.

"Hey, guys," Syrus said, just as cheerful. Even though it was raining outside, it felt to him as if he was bathed in sunshine. He and Annie got their breakfasts and sat down at a table, munching fruit and pastries. When they and the others finished, the rain hadn't abated, so Syrus and Annie brought out their puzzles.

"How many pieces are in these puzzles?" Rosa asked, eyes wide.

"This one's a 5000-piece one!" Annie answered gleefully, holding up one box.

"Aww!" Jaden groaned. He liked puzzles, but something like this would not be as fun as the puzzles with less pieces. While he had learned patience, he still didn't have it when it came to big puzzles.

"Jaden, come on. It's a group activity," Alexis coaxed.

"Okay," he groaned again, sitting down at the larger puzzle with the other men. Their 5000-piece puzzle, when completed, would show the Neo-spacians and Elemental Heroes.

"There's gotta be some motivation there, mate," Jim said, indicating the picture on the box. "Your ace monsters, Jaden."

"Yeah," Jaden agreed, smiling at the image of Neos in the center of the box. Meanwhile, the girls worked on a huge puzzle featuring many of the female duel monsters. Silence reigned as everyone concentrated, but then some chatter started up again.

"Hmmm... does anyone see a Harpy's Lady's face?" Annie asked, pawing through some pieces in front of her as the incomplete creature mocked her.

"Uh, here," Alexis said, handing said piece to Annie.

"Thanks, Alexis..." The Harpy's Lady was now triumphantly grinning at them.

"So... what happened yesterday?" Mindy asked the dark-haired girl.

"I did something really stupid and Sy would've had every right to break off our engagement," Annie admitted, eyes turned to the floor.

"What did you do?" Jasmine asked, concerned and understanding. The other girls did much the same.

"I threw a book at him and tried to hit him..."

"You were having a horrible day, though," Rosa pointed out. "You were not yourself."

"But if I was a guy, I wouldn't get a free pass, you know? But he forgave me..."

"That's good," Alexis said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Yeah... a little too good," Annie agreed, blushing slightly.

The girls noticed the blush, "You didn't..?" Alexis queried.

"No... no!" Annie yelped suddenly. "J-just the usual making up. Alexis..." She had caught a knowing blush on the other girl. And the other young women did too.

"Alexis," Jasmine asked, "did you... and Jaden..?" Alexis's blush darkened considerably as she suddenly found her hands very interesting.

Meanwhile, over in the boys' group, Jaden groaned again. "Dang it! Why can't I find Neos' butt?"

"Why are you so interested in Neos' rump?" Jim asked, raising an eyebrow but with twinkling eyes.

Zane, not in the mood to make jokes, found the piece. "Here's his butt, Jaden."

"Thanks!" Jaden put the piece into place and kept looking for more. He was so intent on his task now, the other guys knew something must be up.

"You okay, Jaden?" Axel asked.

"Uh... yeah..."

"You sure about that, mate?" Jim asked, putting a piece of Flare Scarab's head in place.

"Ye- I don't know..." The others persisted and he finally told them, leaving out certain details. When he finished, he looked up at his future brothers-in-law, wondering if they might possibly string him up for deflowering their sister. However, neither of them seemed to be looking for rope.

"Congratulations," the eldest Rhodes brother said finally. He was able to congratulate this morning because he'd had last night to think about it. Alexis was an adult now and he, Atticus, had to accept that fact. And so he reassured his future brother-in-law that things were all right. "…After all," he concluded, "you're both old enough to make your own decisions and you're both committed. It's not like this was a one-night stand or something."

"You really aren't mad we didn't wait until the wedding?"

"Nope," Atticus repeated, giving his brother-in-law-to-be his own signature grin. He was glad his mom had insisted that he and Chazz leave her and Aster.

Jaden released a relieved sigh, and then he saw his best friend's expression; Syrus was biting his lip slightly, but was it out of fear or frustration or something else? "Sy, you okay? You and Annie didn't fight again, did you?"

"No, we didn't," Syrus answered carefully, putting a piece of the puzzle in place.

"Syrus, what happened?" Zane asked, clicking another piece into position. "If she's still mad..."

"She's not. We made up," the smaller Truesdale answered, frowning as he searched for another piece. He found it.

Another puzzle piece snapped into place. Zane caught the slight blush on his innocent-looking brother's cheeks. "Syrus, did you two..? You didn't, did you?"

"What? N-No!" Syrus yelped, turning the approximate color of a broiled lobster.

The girls looked up from their puzzle at the sudden exclamation and Jaden gently shook his head at his fiancée, reassuring her that nothing was wrong. "Then... what happened?" Zane asked in a lower voice. "Sy... If you didn't fight and you didn't... then what happened?"

"We... uh..." Syrus knew he should tell the truth, but how much of it to tell… well, that was a tough one. His face contorted with frustration, embarrassment and some other unidentifiable emotion.

"Private... we ain't gonna tell. Remember the night out when we talked?" Tyson reminded his friend.

Syrus shivered and drew a cleansing breath. "We came really close," he admitted, "and it was… fun."

"You guys... wow. Who'd have thought," Chazz muttered.

"Yeah," Syrus agreed, blushing darkly.

"Sy, I need to talk to you privately," Zane burst out, his sternness taking the other young men by surprise, including his little brother.

"O-Okay," Syrus said, shivering slightly.

The Truesdale boys stepped out into the hall and Zane sighed. "Syrus, you two need to be more careful!"

"I know," Syrus said, knowing that Zane was thinking of his own situation when he said that.

"You two are young to begin with. And she's got school to think of," the older brother continued.

"I know," the younger repeated, not knowing what else to say but feeling slightly tense.

"Syrus," Zane sighed again, "I know you know, but you really need to know. You need to be ready for all the consequences. Jackie and I... We're ready now, but it's been really quick..."

"Yeah," Syrus said, an edge coming into his voice now, "we've resisted the urge. But it's getting harder every day."

"If you do, Sy... just be really careful, and remember what to do..."

"Yeah, use protection," the younger man grumbled, unable to hide his frustration.

"Okay. I just don't want you rushed into fatherhood," Zane reiterated, holding up his hands. He knew that he'd repeated his point too much.

"Neither do I," Syrus answered, laying a hand on his brother's shoulder. The friendly pressure relaxed Zane, and together they headed back into the common room.

"It's really coming together," Jaden commented to Jesse as the brothers returned and sat down.

"Sure is," Jesse agreed, snapping another piece into place.

"This is goin' to look great once it's finished," Jim added as he casually rubbed Shirley's snout.

The border of the men's puzzle was complete and now the picture was coming together. Neos stood proudly in the foreground. "Wow," Chazz muttered. He could also see part of Aquos and Air Hummingbird. _Like the Ojamas would ever have..._

And then Belowski came from the Obelisk game closet. "Hey, dudes! Chazz! I found a cool puzz for us, man!" His puzzle, about 2000 pieces, was a picture of monsters like the Ojamas, Winged Kuriboh and some of the supposedly weaker monsters in the game.

"Oh, great," the raven-haired Rhodes groaned softly, hearing the Ojama brothers cheering. Whether he was actually hearing them or just an echo in his head was a matter of debate.

"Great! We can put that one together when we finish this one," Jim stated, wisely not commenting on Chazz's slightly peeved expression.

Meanwhile, the girls chatted, eagerly awaiting what Alexis had to say. "So... what was it like?" Mindy asked her friend.

Alexis blushed a little bit as she thought back to what had happened. "It was... amazing."

"Did you… I mean, Alexis, you're the first one of us to…" Jasmine left that sentence unfinished. "Did… was he good? And did he listen to what you said you wanted?"

"Yeah. You know how I am," Alexis answered. "And we listened to each other."

"Good point..." It was then that the other girls truly understood something about the blonde duelist. Alexis was still Alexis, even in her relationship with the young man she loved. She would always be a strong duelist, passionate about whatever she did and very much her own person. If anything, she would argue that being with Jaden had improved her abilities. She had learned from him that sometimes taking a slightly more relaxed approach allowed her to see possibilities beyond what one might learn from teachers, history or a textbook. She had learned that having fun was just as important as winning. And now, she knew that loving a young man would not take away from her accomplishments. All of the girls in the group looked at her with great respect.

"Stop it, you're making the blush worse," Alexis complained. Why did it have to happen to her now?

"Alexis... we are glad for you," Rosa said softly. "You are the strongest of us, truthfully. And when our children are older, Ty-Ty and I would be honored to have such a strong, kind and wise duelist to teach them."

Alexis smiled. "Thanks, Rosa. That means a lot." She knew someday she would be a teacher and would be one of the best out there.

"Anybody have another piece of Dunames Dark Witch?" Blair asked, holding up a yellow puzzle piece.

"Here." Alexis had come up with the puzzle piece as triumphantly as she had long ago on Golden Eggwich Day.

"Thanks, Alexis..."

The morning wore on and the puzzles neared completion. "How did we get these done in a couple of hours?" Jaden wondered out loud.

"That's teamwork for you," Syrus grinned.

"But the picture's not complete yet," Chazz offered thoughtfully.

"True that, mate," Jim agreed, putting a piece of the background in.

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Meanwhile, Bastion and Violet stared up at the skylight in the infirmary. The storm had moved through and now sunlight was streaming down upon them through the remaining clouds. "Hey, it's clearing up," Violet commented.

"I wonder if they'll let me leave for a while," Bastion remarked.

"Hey, guys," Alex Nakamura greeted the couple as he walked into the room. "You know the drill, Bastion. Violet, his shirt needs to come up a little." With Violet's help, Bastion soon felt the chill of the stethoscope on his bare thin back. He breathed in and let it out as Alex listened carefully. Finally, the doctor was satisfied. "Okay... now a little phlebotomy."

"Uh... phle-what now?" Violet asked, confused.

"Drawing bloodwork, darling," Bastion said, pulling his sleeve off his forearm, "It involves needles, remember? He needs to draw my blood."

"Oh, great." And so, as usual, Violet gripped her beloved's hand and closed her eyes. Bastion felt the cold of the alcohol that disinfected the spot over the vein, and a familiar pinprick. However, he took it well. Violet, though... _Keep them shut, keep them shut,_ she chanted in her head.

_You're still doing this? Geez,_ Mary groaned.

Once the blood draw was complete, the needle removed, and the site bandaged, Bastion said to Violet, "You can open your eyes now, love. The Band-Aid is on."

"Good," she answered, relief flooding her features.

"All right," the pulmonologist said when everything was done, "Bastion, I think you could use a little fresh air since the weather's improved. Depending on how you are after the excursion, I may let you out of the infirmary for the night... Sound good?"

"Perfect." Bastion was rather relieved to get out, even temporarily.

Violet all but squealed in excitement. "All right! Let me call somebody!"

"Hello?" Annie asked after hitting the Send button on her PDA.

"Hey, Annie!"

"Violet!" The cheerful voice on the other end of the line made the dark-haired girl figuratively jump.

"Annie! Bastion-baby and I are getting out of the infirmary! Where are you guys?" Annie told her quickly and Violet agreed to meet the gang at Obelisk. Within minutes, Violet, Hiro and Katai were helping Bastion out of bed and getting him fresh clothes.

"It feels so good to get into something other than my pajamas," Bastion grinned. "Violet, love, could you and Mum step out for a moment? I'd like to speak with Dad…" The two women nodded and left. "Dad... I'm getting out of bed and I'm almost better; I almost can't believe it," he admitted when he and his father were alone.

"I almost can't believe it either, son," Hiro agreed, "but we've all pulled through. But… Bastion, is something on your mind?"

"Dad..." Bastion took a shaky breath, albeit only because his lungs were still recovering. "I... don't know how to say this at all..." Hiro waited, laying a hand on his son's shoulder. "Dad... I was scared that night when I almost died. And that day I thought of ending it... I don't think I really wanted to. But something in me did."

Hiro nodded with deep understanding. "Bastion, son… I do know what it's like to want to give up and yet press on because you know you must. And I'm relieved Violet found you when she did. Your mother, your fiancée, your friends and I… we all love you. Never forget that, Bastion."

The young man smiled at that. "I won't, Dad. Er… one question, though. Were you nervous before you married Mum?"

"I was a nervous wreck before the ceremony," Hiro answered, his eyes crinkling in amused recollection. "My best man managed to calm me down though."

"Wasn't it Uncle Takashi?"

"Yes, it was. He told me that loving your mother would be enough for us both. Bastion…" Hiro had caught his son about to protest at the dreadfully illogical statement… "I know that you are starting out your life together young and you're not at your physical best. But you two have each other, and you both are exceedingly brilliant. You also have us and you have your friends around you. You may not be able to participate in the Pro League quite yet, but you will be able to work for Professor Eisenstein. And you will be able to duel again and hold your own. We all believe in you…"

Bastion sighed and started to cough again, the cough sounding like dry cloth being hit against a wooden wall, rather than a wet washcloth against a brick wall. Hiro, still a bit concerned, rubbed his son's back until the fit passed. Alex Nakamura had heard the fit and poked his head in the cubicle, but shook his head at Hiro. The worried father visibly relaxed. "It's all right," he soothed his son. "You're going to be fine. It's all right."

As soon as he could speak, Bastion said, "Thanks, Dad."

"No problem, Bastion. Let's get you dressed and over to your friends."

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

"Bastion-baby, you look great!" Violet praised as her beloved leaned on his father's shoulder to make his way to a wheelchair. The young man now wore a pair of loose yoga pants and a black short-sleeved t-shirt.

"Thank you, love," Bastion smiled, easing into the wheelchair. He rather wished he could walk, but Dr. Nakamura had insisted. Besides, he was still tired walking to the bathroom.

Violet eagerly threw her arms around him, grinning. "Okay, so shall we go build some puzzles?"

"That sounds fun." Bastion should have known that his fiancée's grin held pent-up mischief. As soon as he was secure, she ran back into the ICU and walked out calmly with a bag. Where she had gotten the contents, one could only guess.

"Okay, Bastion-baby! Are you ready to go?"

"I can't wait to get out of here and into the open."

"Neither can I," she answered, pushing the chair out the door.

"Hiro... do you have any idea where she got that bag and what's in it?" Katai asked when the young couple was out of earshot.

"Not a clue, but knowing her, it's prank related," Hiro said. He was mostly correct in his assessment. As soon as the younger couple was out of the building, Violet pulled two large plastic bottles from the bag, attaching them to the wheelchair.

Bastion had only caught a glimpse of the bottles. "Darling, what did you attach to this chair?"

"Diet cola bottles." One could almost see the chibi angels surrounding her.

"Violet, darling, what are you up to?"

"Know what these are?" she asked, holding up a familiar blue tube of mint candy.

His stomach twisted. "Are you planning what I think you are?" Before he could say any more, she whipped off the caps on the bottles, threw in the candies and... nothing happened. And then he was slammed against his wheelchair as the cola whooshed out of the bottles, propelling him and Violet down the trail.

"! THIS IS GREAT!" Violet shouted, her hair fluttering behind her.

"THIS SHOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE!" Bastion's hair was remarkably still in place.

"YEAH, BUT IT'S AWESOME!" The bottles finally stopped gushing and the two came to a stop right at the Obelisk Blue gates. "...Okay, how the heck did that happen?"

"Perhaps the authors willed it," Bastion said.

"... The authors? Bastion, did you hit your head or something?" Violet poked at his head with her finger, stared into his eyes and checked his pulse like she'd seen Annie do.

"I don't think so... Authors?" Bastion, for the umpteenth time, questioned his love's sanity.

"You said the authors willed it; what in the name of sugar did you mean?" A squirrel that had been running past the couple stopped suddenly and stared right at them with its beady, black eyes. It then proceeded to make the "I'm watching you" gesture, before innocently continuing on its way.

"Let's move on, shall we?" Bastion suggested, sweat-dropping.

"Uh... Good idea..." Violet, also sweat-dropping and grinning sheepishly, pushed the chair through the gates and to the Obelisk common room. The entire group stopped what they were doing and stood up to applaud. Abruptly, Jaden stopped and strode to the former Ra. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around Bastion and held on. His throat was as tight as his grip, almost as tight as the latter had been late last August on the night he'd feared his friend would not return alive.

Finally, they let go and Jaden managed to speak. "Glad you're back, bro."

"It's good to be back," Bastion answered, his gaze tender as he glanced not only at Jaden, but at nearly his whole group of friends. He sat down with the other guys, noting how much more they had to do.

"The puzzle's almost done! We're closer to done than the girls!" Adrian smirked, giving Echo a particularly bold look.

"What is that supposed to mean, Adrian?" Echo knew that tone too well. It was the one he'd used on the rare occasions they sparred, and she was fully prepared to answer the challenge.

"I think it means they're trying to beat us, Echo," Violet grinned back. "But I think you guys are about to get your butts kicked!"

"It appears to be anyone's game if this is a race," Bastion observed, a slight smirk emerging.

"Not for long," Annie countered happily, putting down more pieces.

"Looks like we've got some catching up to do, mates," Jim encouraged the rest of the male team.

"Jesse, can we beat 'em?" Jaden asked his twin, picking up a piece of Elemental Hero Neo Alius and putting it in its proper place.

"I bet we can," Jesse said, also adding to Alius's form.

About an hour later… "FINISHED!" both sides yelled at exactly the same time.

"Looks like a tie," Jesse grinned at the two puzzles. Jaden nodded in satisfaction. Zane smiled too. His own personal puzzle was nearly complete. It would be tomorrow when his fiancée arrived. "So what now?" the Southern boy continued.

Annie grinned, holding up a plastic jar with a bright yellow label and 1960s-style writing on it. "We have backing and I have a pot of Mod-Podge! Let's immortalize this moment!" The group chorused its approval.

"Annie... uh... where did you get that?" Sy asked, blinking and sweat-dropping.

"I... don't know," Annie admitted. Somehow, it had appeared out of nowhere. That or she'd simply forgotten that she'd stashed it in the bag she'd brought with her. The squirrel that Bastion and Violet had encountered appeared at the window, giving the "I'm watching you" gesture before leaving.

Jaden blinked. "Uh... guys? Why is there an evil squirrel there?"

"SQUIRREL!" Violet yelled, pouncing to the window. She hit the window, thankfully made of some shatterproof material and bounced back to the floor. "Why do I keep doing that?" she asked dazedly. Was this an anime, she would have the characteristic spiral eyes of a stunned Pokémon.

"Jay?" Jesse asked while Alexis looked Violet over. "Why in tarnation do you think it's evil?"

"It's acting evil!" the Slifer complained, pointing at the little creature with a slightly crazed expression.

One could practically see the question mark appearing over Jesse's head. "I don't get it, Jaden. He doesn't seem to be doin' anything…"

"He's like the EVIL MONKEY!"

"On **Family Guy**?" Syrus asked weakly, sweat-dropping.

"That squirrel's doing something like that!" Jaden yelped, visibly traumatized.

Everyone laughed... everyone, that is, except for Violet. "Squirrels aren't evil!" she now complained from Bastion's arms.

"That one is!" Jaden countered.

"It's just a squirrel, mate," Jim said, looking at the creature now chewing a nut on a tree branch. "Look at it. The little guy wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Jaden, for the last time. It's the CHIPMUNKS we have to worry about! Not the innocent, fluffy squirrels!" Violet added.

"So... Violet? Why are chipmunks evil again?" Adrian asked. "I heard your bunny explanation..."

Violet sighed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "Okay, one more time. Chipmunks help the evil bunnies with their plans for world domination by stealing acorns from squirrels to make advanced acorn weaponry. Squirrels are ticked and fight the chipmunks, also trying to stop them from taking over the world with the evil bunnies."

"I don't think bunnies and chipmunks can take over the world, Violet," Jesse observed after a long awkward silence and multiple sweat-drops.

"And that, my dear Watson is why it's called a conspiracy," Violet stated with an air that screamed convincing her otherwise was impossible.

Jaden blinked again. And then, he smiled in his classic dumb way. "Jesse, you changed your name to Watson? Since when?"

The previous sweat-dropping silence was replaced by multiple thuds."It's an expression, Jaden," Alexis said, simultaneously face-palming and lifting herself up off the floor.

The former Slifer's idiot expression became wicked. "I know."

"Oh, bloody hell, he's become intellectually gifted," Bastion stated slowly.

"...I didn't know you could give someone intelligence as a gift." Violet deadpanned, a look of awe on her face.

"It's another expression, Violet," Alexis sighed.

Now it was Violet's turn to grin as she high-fived Jaden. "I know. Man, you guys are gullible when it comes to this." And as the group decoupaged the huge puzzles, they had to wonder if this had been a set-up or brilliant serendipity.

_And so ends another chapter of __**Darkness Falls. **__We hope you enjoyed the continuation and hope you join us next time. As always, we thank you for your continued patronage! See you soon!_


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